Non-Fiction by Janice Macdonald

Horses - and massages - optional at dude ranches

By JANICE MACDONALD, Special Advertising Sections Writer

In addition to horseback riding, Wilderness Trails Ranch in Colorado offers such activities as hiking, water-skiing, river rafting, dance lessons and massage therapy.

I'm allergic to practically everything, especially four-legged creatures with hair or fur, and I haven't been on a horse since I was 10. (I climbed up one side and fell down the other.)

Consequently, for me the idea of a dude ranch vacation - with cowpokes and chuck wagon suppers and sweat and calluses and, of course, horses - would rank somewhere between dog-sled racing and yak trekking in terms of fun getaways.

So what am I doing at the Wilderness Trails Ranch in the wilds of Colorado - a place where cattle roundups, team penning and herd driving are the featured attractions? Actually, I'm drinking a nice glass of Chardonnay as I polish off my blackened salmon and contemplate a dessert of chocolate tarragon cake with raspberry puree.

And later, when I toddle off to my nicely appointed cabin, there are chocolates on my pillow. After a restful night's sleep, I sit on the porch communing with nature and start rethinking this whole dude ranch thing. Do you have to ride horses?

"Not necessarily," said Jan Roberts, matriarch of the family-owned and -operated Wilderness Trails Ranch.

While horseback riding usually figures prominently in a dude ranch vacation, it can also just be the perfect opportunity to kick back, relax and enjoy magnificent scenery. Dude ranches are great places for family vacations and reunions, she said, because everyone can do their own thing - swimming, fishing, hiking or just sitting - but still meet at the end of the day. You can do nothing or everything - it's up to you, she said.

Dude has taken on a different meaning from the days when it meant a stranger to the area, said Colleen Hodson, executive director of the Dude Ranchers Assn. Back in the 1920s when travelers from East Coast cities headed west, accommodations were few and far between. With the advent of transcontinental rail travel, railways began seeking out ranchers willing to offer hospitality in exchange for a little help around the place. The concept took off from there, and while many dude (or guest) ranches are still working ranches, others exist solely as tourist destinations with such offerings as full-service spas, gourmet dining and tennis and golf facilities.

Regardless of whether you go rustic or upscale, you can count on spectacular scenery, fresh air and a respite from urban noise and congestion. Oh, yeah, and you can also ride horses - if that's your thing.

Here are six ranches offering an assortment of options. Many periodically offer special packages and discounted rates so it's worth checking out the websites.

Wilderness Trails Ranch (Bayfield, Colo.; [800] 527-2624; www.wildernesstrails.com): Thirty-five miles northeast of Durango in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, Wilderness Trails is a working ranch set in picturesque surroundings. Offerings include horseback riding and instruction, hiking, water-skiing, river rafting, dance lessons and massage therapy. Tours to such local attractions as Mesa Verde National Park and the Durango- Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad can be arranged.

Accommodations: One-, twoand three-bedroom cabins scattered among pines, fir, spruce and aspens. Larger cabins have living rooms, wood-burning stoves and separate bar areas with refrigerators and coffee makers. All have private baths, decks and daily maid service.

Rates (based on double occupancy): $1,950 for six days (Sunday through Saturday) except in September and October when the rate is $1,550. Meals are included.

Rancho de los Caballeros ( Wickenburg , Ariz. ; [800] 684-5030; www.sunc.com): This 58-year-old family-owned guest ranch on 20,000 acres of the Sonoran Desert offers everything from tennis instruction to a trap-and-skeet range. Hikes are led by a resident naturalist.

The cowgirl boot camp, Giddy Up Gals (Oct. 21-23, Jan. 27-29, March 3-5, April 7-9, and May 12-14), is a women's-only weekend that promises to transform even the slickest of city slickers into a cowgirl.

Accommodations: Ranch rooms or suites with separate living rooms, fireplaces, game tables and sitting areas. Rates (based on double occupancy): $298 to $370 per night, including all meals and use of ranch facilities.

El Capitan Canyon Ranch (Santa Barbara; [866] 352-2729; www.elcapitancanyon.com): Located in the Los Padres National Forest, El Capitan, a campground-ranch hybrid, offers guided horseback rides along the Gaviota Coast, horse-drawn wagon rides, chuck-wagon dinners, live mountain music and cowboy poetry. And for those who are saddle sore after the ride, the services of a massage therapist are available.

Accommodations: There are 100 luxury cedar cabins - some with fireplaces and Jacuzzi tubs, and all with full baths, linens, towels, kitchenettes and fire pits. There are also 26 safari tents, built on raised wooden decks with queen beds and down comforters. Bathroom facilities for safari tent campers are housed in nearby buildings.

Rates: Tents are available for $135, while cabins range from $185 to $345, based on double occupancy.

The Western Pleasure Ranch (Sandpoint, Idaho; [208] 263-9066; www.westernpleasureranch.com): Located outside of Sandpoint, Idaho, a 90-minute drive from the Spokane International Airport, this 960-acre fourth-generation cattle ranch has been operating on the same land since 1940.

Horseback riding is the main focus, with lessons and daily rides offered for all skill levels. Gourmet dining in the main lodge features locally grown and produced ingredients.

Accommodations: Log cabins with furnished kitchens, classic wood stoves and private baths. Rates: Seven-night American Plan summer packages, including lodging, daily horseback rides, three meals, evening entertainment and access to all ranch amenities, are $1,350 per person. A three-night package is $600 per person. Bed and breakfast is $125 per couple.

Flathead Lake Lodge (Big Fork, Mont.; [406] 837- 4391; www.flatheadlakelodge.com): Built in 1932 as a boys' camp, the family-owned Flathead Lake Lodge offers horseback riding, team roping demonstrations, kids' rodeo, water-skiing, sailing, fishing, tennis, volleyball, mountain cookouts, arts and crafts, hiking, canoeing and kayaking. Outfitters are available for whitewater rafting, fly-fishing and lake charter float trips.

Other highlights are an onsite massage therapist and nightly happy hour in the Saddle Sore Saloon.

Accommodations: Two- and three-bedroom, log-style cottages. Rates: Seven-day minimum stay, including meals and access to all ranch activities and facilities, such as sailboats, canoes, water skis and tennis courts, is $2,653 per person.

Echo Valley Ranch & Spa (Jesmond, Clinton, British Columbia, Canada; [800] 253- 8831; www.evranch.com): Old West meets Far East at this working ranch and full-service spa in Echo Valley, British Columbia, a 5 1/2-hour drive from Vancouver. You can help the ranch hands load hay, feed and water the animals, collect eggs, move cattle on the open range, pan for gold, fly fish and learn Ruesri dat ton (a Thai stretching technique).

Spa services are offered in a traditional Thai structure with a Pagoda-style roof, pavilion and a tiled courtyard where you can relax over a cup of Thai herbal tea.

Accommodations: Rooms in the Dove Lodge or in private log cabins.

Rates: $192 to $256 ( U.S. ) per night per guest. Separate sevenday spa packages, from $3,294 per week, include a choice of Baan Thai treatments, accommodations, all meals and use of ranch facilities.

*Los Angeles Times - 2005 November 07, Tuesday by Janice MacDonald