Guest and Dude Ranches Continue Long Tradition of Welcoming Guests to Cody Yellowstone
CODY, Wyo., July 15, 2024 – When John “Grief” Hoskin welcomes guests to the UXU Ranch 17 miles from the East Gate of Yellowstone National Park, he does so as the proud steward of a property that has been welcoming guests for more than 100 years.
The UXU Ranch traces its roots back to the late 1800s when it was the site of a lumber mill before using some of that cut wood to construct cabins for “dudes” looking to ride horses, fish local waters, explore the world’s first national park and reconnect with nature. Today its 11 cabins provide overnight accommodations, dining and activities for those seeking to stay three or five nights.
Guests stay multiple nights and can get to know each other and share stories of their daily activities in a relaxed setting. Photo buffs especially enjoy learning that Hoskin is an accomplished fine arts photographer whose subjects are Western landscapes, rodeos, horses and ranchers’ lifestyles.
The ranch is one of 17 such properties in Cody Yellowstone, the destination comprised of the northwestern Wyoming towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse as well as the valley east of Yellowstone National Park.
Cody is also the home of the Dude Ranchers Association, which was established in 1926 when several ranch owners developed standards to accommodate the growing numbers of travelers whose trek to the West had become increasingly easier with railroad expansions. The membership roster listed 26 ranches that first year and 40 the following year. Today, more than 100 ranches belong to the association. Modern-day ranches include working dude ranches, traditional dude ranches and resort dude ranches.
The Association established strict criteria that must be met to be a member. Dude ranches require a minimum stay, usually four nights to a week. All activities, meals and lodging are included in a fixed price which requires a deposit in advance. A guest ranch on the other hand offers the same type of lodging and activities but travelers can stay just one night with meals and horseback riding optional. Lodging, meals and activities are priced separately and paid for at the end of the stay.
Dude ranches have been a staple of the American vacation experience since the early 1880s, when Howard Eaton started the Custer Trail Ranch in the Dakota Badlands to accommodate travelers from the East, whom the Westerners called “dudes.”
The Eatons eventually moved operations to Wyoming where the Eaton Ranch is still in operation today. The Eatons ran horse packing trips to Yellowstone National Park, and the Howard Eaton Trail runs roughly parallel to the Grand Loop inside the park and has been used by countless hikers, horseback riders and cross-country skiers through the years.
No matter what type of ranch experience travelers choose, they will be treated to an authentic and memorable Western experience.
Today the roads between Cody and Yellowstone National Park are home to a high concentration of guest and dude ranches. Here are just a few of dude and guest ranches welcoming travelers today:
Dude ranches:
UXU Ranch in the Shoshone National Forest offers 11 cabins, horseback riding, fly fishing, side trips to Yellowstone and Cody, hiking, cookouts and more. Contact: 1-307-587-4363, [email protected] and www.uxuranch.com.
7D Ranch offers 10 rustic cabins tucked into the Sunlight Basin an hour from Yellowstone. The ranch offers riding, fishing, hiking and children’s programs. Contact: 1-307-587-9885, [email protected] and www.7dranch.com/contact/.
Rimrock Dude Ranch is 26 miles from Yellowstone. The ranch offers modern cabins, outdoor pool and hot tub. Activities include trail rides, fishing, cookouts and float trips. Contact: 1-307-587-3970, [email protected] and www.rimrockranch.com/contact/#.
Crossed Sabres Ranch is just eight miles from Yellowstone’s East Gate. The ranch offers horseback rides, fly fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing. Contact: 1-307-587-3750, [email protected] and crossedsabresranch.com/contact-us/.
Guest ranches:
Absaroka Mountain Lodge is located 39 miles west of Cody and 12 miles from Yellowstone. This ranch features 15 cabins accommodating between two and eight people. Contact: 1-307-587-3963, [email protected] and www.absarokamtlodge.com/contact-us/.
Bill Cody Ranch was once operated by Buffalo Bill’s grandson and is a full-service horseback riding resort. It is located halfway between Cody and Yellowstone. Contact: 1-307-587-2097, [email protected] and https://www.billcodyranch.com/.
Blackwater Creek Ranch, built in 1915, is 15 miles from Yellowstone. The ranch offers 15 cabins and ranch-style meals. Contact: 1-307-587-5201, [email protected] and https://trueranchcollection.com/yellowstone-pop-up-ranch-blackwater-creek-ranch/.
Elephant Head Lodge is 12 miles from Yellowstone and offers plenty of family-friendly activities. Pets are welcome. Contact: 1-307-587-3980, [email protected] and https://www.elephantheadlodge.com/.
Creekside Lodge is 10 minutes from the park. The lodge offers private Western cabins, guided fishing trips, horseback rides and chuckwagon dinners. Contact: 1-307-587-9795, [email protected] and https://creeksidelodgeyellowstone.com/contact.
Double Diamond X Ranch is located on the Upper South Fork of the Shoshone River 35 miles from Cody. Amenities include lodging, event hosting,guided fly fishing, hiking and hunting. Contact: 1-307-587-5252, [email protected] and www.ddxranchwyoming.com/contact.
Pahaska Tepee is the location of Buffalo Bill’s original hunting lodge two miles from Yellowstone. Listed on the National Historic Register, Pahaska Tepee offers cabins, restaurant and bar, gift shop and gas as well as horseback rides, fishing and hiking. Contact: 1-307-527-7701, [email protected] and www.pahaska.com/contact-lodging-cabins-yellowstone.php.
Rand Creek Ranch is between Cody and Yellowstone and offers cozy cabins with a private pond for fishing, a kayak and paddle boat, horseback riding and barbecue dinners. Contact: 1-307-587-3200, [email protected] and www.randcreekranch.com/contact-us/.
Shoshone Lodge & Guest Ranch is five miles from Yellowstone. It features authentic Western cabins in the woods, trail rides, pack trips and relaxation. Contact: 1-307-587-4044, [email protected] and www.shoshonelodge.com/#.
Hunter Peak Ranch is located 30 minutes from Yellowstone. Based around an early-1900s lodge, the ranch offers Western accommodations, riding, hiking, swimming/tubing and photography. Contact: 1-307-587-3711, [email protected] and https://hunterpeakranch.com/contact/.
K3 Guest Ranch Bed & Breakfast is just 10 minutes from downtown Cody. The ranch offers seven different accommodation options, including bedrooms in the main lodge and cabins and converted wagons adjacent. Contact 1-307-272-7507, [email protected] and www.k3guestranch.com/contact-us.htm.
KBarZ Guest Ranch & Outfitters accommodates up to 30 guests in private cabins in a pine forest. Activities include riding, pack trips, fishing, side trips and guided hunting. Contact: 1-307-587-4410, [email protected] and www.kbarzguestranch.com/.
Working Ranches
Fiddle Back Ranch is a working ranch situated along the Upper Greybull River eight miles from Meeteetse. The ranch offers fishing, wildlife watching and beautiful scenery as well as three lodge buildings and six RV sites with full hookups. Contact: 1-307-272-8075, [email protected] and https://fiddlebackranch.net/.
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Home of the Great American Adventure, Cody Yellowstone is comprised of the northwestern Wyoming towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse as well as the valley east of Yellowstone National Park. The region is known for rodeos, authentic guest and dude ranches, world-class museums and recreational adventures that reflect the adventurous spirit of the visionaries and explorers who brought the remote region to the world’s attention.
Related hashtags:
#YellowstoneCountry
#CodyWyoming
#CenteroftheWest
#BuffaloBill
#Yellowstone
Media contact:
Mesereau Travel Public Relations
720-284-1512
