Also big in the spring roundup scene is the Bellota Ranch, the historic Tucson cattle ranch that was recently acquired by the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch. While the long-established Tanque Verde is a bit on the posh side, the Bellota is more rough and tumble. Their original small adobe house still serves as the Bellota Ranch headquarters. Again, for experienced riders only, the program is extensive. Riders will be in the saddle non-stop for a minimum of six to eight hours a day.
Western tradition precludes baseball caps, designer jeans and jogging shoes.
Guests, who draw saddles, stock equipment and are assigned two roundup horses upon checking in, are expected to catch and saddle their own horses every morning. Rounding up the calves for branding, learning to rope, and hours of fantastic horseback riding across the grasslands will provide a glimpse into America's western past, says the printed brochure. The owner of the Tanque Verde Ranch is Bob Cote, whose father bought the place in 1957. Cote, in blue jeans, western shirt and cowboy hat, is a walking commentary on the merits of dude ranch life. But as Arizona's oldest working guest ranch, it restricts its cattle roundups to its own experienced ranchers.