And horses are a major part of dude ranch vacations. But not the only part. Your accommodations may be in rustic cottages, historic lodges, or modern luxury suites. We discovered that dude ranches are not all the same, so it's important to select carefully. Most dude ranches do not take overnight visitors, and many have a fixed schedule of all arrivals and departures on Sundays.
Some ranches have many activities, of which riding is only one.
At other ranches, riding is central, and included in the price. Nonriders may not want to pay for an activity they don't partake in and may not have enough to do with others spending much of the day riding. River rafting, 4x4 trips, guided hiking, overnight pack trips, square dancing, fishing, hay rides, visit to a rodeo. Not all are available at all ranches. Many are not.