Kiwi Curated
Giddyup at These Luxury Dude Ranches
by Joy PecknoldWorking a ranch is grueling, which is exactly why luxury ranch vacations were created: all the romance of riding with zero obligation to clean the stables. It’s as close as one can get to living Yellowstone, but instead of all the drama and dirty work you get spa treatments. All you have to do is pick your horse.
Giddyup at These Luxury Dude Ranches
If you like your dude ranches real ranch-y on the outside and sleeker on the inside, The Lodge at Blue Sky in Utah is your jam. There’s a whopping 3,500 acres for private riding—they practice natural horsemanship here—fly fishing and skeet shooting. Inside the lodge are 46 rooms with clean lines and natural tones, along with all the modern trappings one could want for, including a world-class spa. Bonus: it’s just 25-minutes from Park City Mountain Resort, for those who also fancy a ski day.
BOOK NOWGiddyup at These Luxury Dude Ranches
There’s no chance of feeling underwhelmed when the Colorado River commands the foreground and Moab’s vibrant red rock formations fill the background as they do at Sorrel River Ranch. Along with horseback riding, there’s white water rafting, canyoneering, hiking and mountain biking. Back on the ranch, the rooms are perfectly rustic, with log four-poster beds, and the food is farm-to-table.
BOOK NOWGiddyup at These Luxury Dude Ranches
Award-winning and all-inclusive, The Lodge and Spa at Brush Creek Ranch is a working ranch on 30,000 acres in southern Wyoming. The oxymoronic adjectives of opulent and rustic somehow both makes sense here (there always seems to be a fur throw within reach). Activity choices span the seasons—rock climb in the summer, ski in the winter and horseback ride any old time. A proper saloon, with a bar to sidle up to, poker table and darts, has real Old West vibes.
BOOK NOWGiddyup at These Luxury Dude Ranches
An all-inclusive dude ranch in Big Sky Country, aka Montana, The Ranch at Rock Creek offers all kinds of kicks across all the seasons, including fly-fishing, hiking, clay shooting, mountain biking, skiing and, of course, horseback riding. Their canvas-covered Glamping Cabins range from one to three rooms, or for the ultimate family experience, book the three-bedroom Historic Barn which dates back to the late 1800s (it’s been beautifully restored since then).
BOOK NOWGiddyup at These Luxury Dude Ranches
Long before the rugged Dutton men, the Ludlow brothers inspired ranch fantasies, namely Tristen played by Brad Pitt. Realize two Pitt connections with one stay at The Resort at Paws Up which sits along the Blackfoot River that inspired A River Runs Through It in Montana, the setting for Legends of the Fall. If that’s not enough to sell you, consider its 37,000 acres, more than 70 activities and Cliffside Camp setup with a copper tub overlooking the river.
BOOK NOWGiddyup at These Luxury Dude Ranches
Another stunning Montana property, in the Bitterroot Valley where the real Dutton Ranch is located, the all-inclusive Triple Creek Ranch offers private log cabins and ranch homes complete with wood-burning fireplaces and hot tubs. Making it extra authentic are the cattle drives you can ride along with at the CB Ranch, a working cattle operation that also has a roaming herd of bison.
BOOK NOWGiddyup at These Luxury Dude Ranches
Just outside Bozeman, Grey Cliffs Ranch is an 8,000 square-foot lodge on 5,200 acres with all the requisite activities one would expect from a getaway in the Greater Yellowstone region. Other than horseback riding—you can ride right around the ranch—the area is renowned for fly fishing with Madison, Gallatin, Yellowstone, Missouri and Jefferson rivers all within reach.
BOOK NOWGiddyup at These Luxury Dude Ranches
The Yellowstone spinoff 1883, takes place in, you guessed it, 1883. Around that same time, the Dunton Hot Springs site was a hard-to-reach mining town. The Colorado town was deserted after the ore ran out and it became a cattle ranch for nearly half a century. In 1994, the town was restored to provide a unique resort experience—think hand-hewn log cabins and a legit-looking saloon—across 1,600 acres. Obviously on horseback is the best way to see it all.
BOOK NOWGiddyup at These Luxury Dude Ranches
The resident pack of border collies alone is worth the visit (you’ll tire of playing catch before they do), but Echo Valley Ranch in British Columbia’s Cariboo Mountains also has 30 horses with 160 acres for riding. What really sets this ranch apart is its unique East-West mix. In addition to its typical ranch activities, there’s an authentic Thai spa.
BOOK NOWGiddyup at These Luxury Dude Ranches
Occupying 6,000 acres of a headland in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers provides a rare combo of pasture and ocean views. Then there’s the activities. Ride horses, herd sheep, go in search of kiwi birds or play a round of golf—it’s all here. Afterwards, unwind back in your cottage suite with a glass of good Sauvignon Blanc or book into the spa for a body treatment.
BOOK NOWIf you like your dude ranches real ranch-y on the outside and sleeker on the inside, The Lodge at Blue Sky in Utah is your jam. There’s a whopping 3,500 acres for private riding—they practice natural horsemanship here—fly fishing and skeet shooting. Inside the lodge are 46 rooms with clean lines and natural tones, along with all the modern trappings one could want for, including a world-class spa. Bonus: it’s just 25-minutes from Park City Mountain Resort, for those who also fancy a ski day.
BOOK NOWThere’s no chance of feeling underwhelmed when the Colorado River commands the foreground and Moab’s vibrant red rock formations fill the background as they do at Sorrel River Ranch. Along with horseback riding, there’s white water rafting, canyoneering, hiking and mountain biking. Back on the ranch, the rooms are perfectly rustic, with log four-poster beds, and the food is farm-to-table.
BOOK NOWAward-winning and all-inclusive, The Lodge and Spa at Brush Creek Ranch is a working ranch on 30,000 acres in southern Wyoming. The oxymoronic adjectives of opulent and rustic somehow both makes sense here (there always seems to be a fur throw within reach). Activity choices span the seasons—rock climb in the summer, ski in the winter and horseback ride any old time. A proper saloon, with a bar to sidle up to, poker table and darts, has real Old West vibes.
BOOK NOWAn all-inclusive dude ranch in Big Sky Country, aka Montana, The Ranch at Rock Creek offers all kinds of kicks across all the seasons, including fly-fishing, hiking, clay shooting, mountain biking, skiing and, of course, horseback riding. Their canvas-covered Glamping Cabins range from one to three rooms, or for the ultimate family experience, book the three-bedroom Historic Barn which dates back to the late 1800s (it’s been beautifully restored since then).
BOOK NOWLong before the rugged Dutton men, the Ludlow brothers inspired ranch fantasies, namely Tristen played by Brad Pitt. Realize two Pitt connections with one stay at The Resort at Paws Up which sits along the Blackfoot River that inspired A River Runs Through It in Montana, the setting for Legends of the Fall. If that’s not enough to sell you, consider its 37,000 acres, more than 70 activities and Cliffside Camp setup with a copper tub overlooking the river.
BOOK NOWAnother stunning Montana property, in the Bitterroot Valley where the real Dutton Ranch is located, the all-inclusive Triple Creek Ranch offers private log cabins and ranch homes complete with wood-burning fireplaces and hot tubs. Making it extra authentic are the cattle drives you can ride along with at the CB Ranch, a working cattle operation that also has a roaming herd of bison.
BOOK NOWJust outside Bozeman, Grey Cliffs Ranch is an 8,000 square-foot lodge on 5,200 acres with all the requisite activities one would expect from a getaway in the Greater Yellowstone region. Other than horseback riding—you can ride right around the ranch—the area is renowned for fly fishing with Madison, Gallatin, Yellowstone, Missouri and Jefferson rivers all within reach.
BOOK NOWThe Yellowstone spinoff 1883, takes place in, you guessed it, 1883. Around that same time, the Dunton Hot Springs site was a hard-to-reach mining town. The Colorado town was deserted after the ore ran out and it became a cattle ranch for nearly half a century. In 1994, the town was restored to provide a unique resort experience—think hand-hewn log cabins and a legit-looking saloon—across 1,600 acres. Obviously on horseback is the best way to see it all.
BOOK NOWThe resident pack of border collies alone is worth the visit (you’ll tire of playing catch before they do), but Echo Valley Ranch in British Columbia’s Cariboo Mountains also has 30 horses with 160 acres for riding. What really sets this ranch apart is its unique East-West mix. In addition to its typical ranch activities, there’s an authentic Thai spa.
BOOK NOWOccupying 6,000 acres of a headland in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers provides a rare combo of pasture and ocean views. Then there’s the activities. Ride horses, herd sheep, go in search of kiwi birds or play a round of golf—it’s all here. Afterwards, unwind back in your cottage suite with a glass of good Sauvignon Blanc or book into the spa for a body treatment.
BOOK NOW