Ranch owners say they can usually see a difference in people on or about the third day. Ranch cabins and lodge rooms do not have TV's or telephones on purpose, and most guests find they love the escape from these often annoying contraptions. The main activity at any Western dude ranch is horseback riding, and programs are geared to satisfy experienced riders, beginners and even those who have never ridden before. Many ranches now offer their guests the option of going river rafting one day each week arranged through a licensed rafting company in their area. Of course, in the mountains there is always plenty of space for hiking and outdoor games of all kinds.
Some ranches have tennis courts and many have swimming pools.
The one thing that all of them have in common is that they are all in the business of providing a Western experience to their guests. Dude ranches remain unique even when they are offered for sale, as the price is not based mainly on the gross annual income, as is the case with most other businesses, but rather on the buildings, land, scenery, the reputation of the business, the natural amenities, such as streams, rivers or lakes on the property and the area in which it is located. A border on public land that can be used for riding is absolutely essential unless the deeded land totals thousands of acres. Typically dude ranches are sold fully equipped and furnished and ready for a new owner to operate. People who purchase dude ranches do so for the lifestyle, not the money they will make operating them.