Talk:Guest ranch

Name?
I've never heard of a "guest ranch". The proper term is "Dude Ranch". I suspect "guest ranch" is nomenclature in the dude ranch industry. Let's use the proper term instead of corporate jargon. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.233.73.251 (talk) 15:17, 3 May 2008 (UTC)


 * Actually, "Dude Ranch" is considered a slur on both the ranches and, especially, their clientele. It used to be more acceptable to call people "dudes" perhaps 20 or 30 years ago, but pretty much most every "guest ranch" on the planet nowadays calls itself a "guest ranch".  Including those owned by a mom and pop, not just "corporations."  In fact, many guest ranches are owned by a mom and pop, even if mom and pop incorporated.   So, while popular slang may use the term, it is no different than many other things that have an "official" name and a slang name.  You know, Used Car Lot/Pre-Owned Vehicles, whatever. So no, "dude ranch" is not the "proper" term, it's an informal term that some people consider insulting (even when accurate).  It isn't "wrong," it is, however, slang.   (LOL!)  Montanabw (talk) 04:53, 4 May 2008 (UTC)

A "Dude Ranch" is a working ranch that caters to guest accommodations and where guest may take part in ranch activities. On location stabling of horses is a requirement of this classification and for membership in the Arizona Dude Ranch Association. A "Guest Ranch" is a non-working ranch (i.e. no cattle) and horses are optional for riding. Guest ranches typically have a theme or offer on-site activities such as horseback riding, hiking, biking, birding, boating, fishing, western cooking ... Mabrams_us (talk) 22:04, 13 Aug 2010 (UTC)


 * I disagree that there is any difference at all in this terminology in most places. Perhaps this Arizona organization wants to make a distinction, but it is not a universal practice.  Most "dude" ranches simply renamed themselves "guest" ranches years ago because the term "dude" was viewed as condescending and perjorative; the customers were insulted.  Guest ranches, at least in the northern Rockies, always have horses and trail rides, otherwise, a nice woodsy place is simply a "resort" with a cowboy theme.   Riding the horses is, of course, optional, and sometimes there are other amenities such as hayrides, campfires, and even at times a swimming pool or a golf course.  But the presence of animals makes it a "ranch."  (True, a few resorts call themselves a "ranch" in their business name, but usually not "guest ranch.")  The working ranches that take in people for cattle drives and such usually just keep their existing name, or else call themselves a guest ranch, just like the non-cattle places.   Montanabw (talk) 01:38, 15 August 2010 (UTC) Follow up:  I took a quick look at the "dude ranch" associations in the northern Rockies (MT, WY, CO) and most of their members use the term "guest ranch" to describe their actual facilities, though there is some interchangability of terms.  (Which makes sense, a lot of these groups are decades old, preceding the PC switch of business names)  And even the AZ dude ranch association's page says the same thing: "...ranging from the more traditional smaller, remote ranches, where horseback riding and ranching are the primary focus, to our larger resort-style guest ranches, with all the amenities." And the places listed all say either simply "ranch" or "guest ranch."  Montana's dude ranch association lumps everything under "guest ranch" but distinguishes dude ranches (trail riding places, still calling themselves "guest ranches" in most cases), working ranches (with cows) and resort ranches (add golf course, etc.). see here  In short, if your distinction is true of an Arizona organization, then there is unquestionably a variation in terminology.  Hence "guest ranch" is the best catchall term.   Montanabw (talk) 01:53, 15 August 2010 (UTC)

I agree that the terminology is blurred not that guest ranch is the best catch all, even if a number of people use it incorrectly. Dude ranches were once viable working ranches before the times and economic pressures force them to adapt and take on paying guests. Guest ranches also sprung up to compete in this hospitality market. Early associations were founded by dude ranches to distinguish and market their differences from the imposters to the public. Today, few vacationers care as long as they get what they are looking for. However there is a difference and some organizations care to distinguish what they are and don’t want to be made indistinguishable.

According to the “Arizona Dude Ranch Association” (ADRA,) guest ranches have a dude ranch theme but lack horses. I spoke with the ADRA about membership for Sunglow Ranch (SGR) a guest ranch that I work for. I was told by ADRA representatives that SGR would only qualify for ADRA membership if horses were stabled on the property even though horseback riding is provided at SGR, SGR did not meet the stabling requirement. WIKI, there is an operational and political difference between the two types of ranches and their origins. --Mabrams us (talk) 15:24, 16 August 2010 (UTC)


 * What you seem not to understand is that a "dude ranch" was always a term for ranches that catered to guests, offering trail rides and, at times, other amenities, with most "dude" ranches having business names in recent times calling themselves "guest " ranches. The term clearly is not historically limited to places with cattle, in fact more the opposite: The "City Slickers" phenomenon of people going to working ranches to chase cows around (as opposed to simple trail riding) is actually a relatively new thing that, admittedly, has probably been the financial salvation of some real working ranches that chose to expand their operation to take in guests.  They are not, however, the only people that can call themselves "dude" ranchers.  There may be some organization in AZ that is out trying to create an artificial distinction to build membership and such.  However, a group with only 12 official business members is hardly notable, and even the AZDRA web site (not sure if the same group you mention) doesn't define its members the way you describe above.  Also note that larger trade groups such as the Dude Ranchers Association does not use this terminolgy.  The Montana organization, which is much larger than the AZ group, doesn't use this terminology and yet still has a membership standard The Dude Ranchers Association, with over 100 member ranches, also has specific criteria, and clearly distinguish from "working dude ranches" and "dude ranches" (the "resort" ranch being yet another variant, example here and obviously, if there are no horses, it's not a "ranch" at all).  Please note that wikipedia does not allow advertising, and it appears your attempts here are to inject the goals of a narrow interest group into this article.   Montanabw (talk) 17:19, 16 August 2010 (UTC)

Paying Guests?
Under "History": "A number of working ranches have also survived lean financial times by taking in paying guests for part of the year."

Seems this ought to say "working" guests rather than paying guests. I haven't been to a dude ranch yet, but this sentence didn't make sense. I assume that everyone is a paying guest at one of these.

65.0.173.142 (talk) 03:03, 19 November 2011 (UTC)Shaun


 * There is a distinction at real working ranches...there are frequently unpaid working guests at any ranch -- they are called "the out of town relatives!" LOL!  I am open to clarifying this a bit, but the truth is that "paying guests" is the new thing... when you stay overnight at a ordinary family working ranch, lending a hand if asked is part of the culture, the charging money part is what's different.   Montanabw (talk) 02:36, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

Dude/guest ranch types and terminology
There appears to be three different types of dude/guest ranches that operate today in the U.S. and Canada. The first type, and what most people think of when they hear the term Dude Ranch, is the working ranch, which is intended to provide guests with the experience of being an actual cowboy with cattle drives, ranch upkeep, and tending horses. The second king is the recreational dude ranch which is more about sporting activities such as hiking, fishing, and horseback riding. The third and final type is the resort/luxury dude ranch which combines a luxury resort with a recreational dude ranch. This info probable should be added to the article. It also appears that "Dude Ranch" is still a very widely used term, irrespective of any negative connotation it once had (or may still have). I have heard of the term "Guest Ranch" used but I not sure it's the most common term used today by dude/guest ranches. A quick Google search shows both terms popping up just as frequently, but it seems to me that "guest ranch" tends to refer to the recreational ranches and luxury resort ranches more so then the working ranches. I think further research is needed to get to the bottom of just what is the standard terminology these days for due/guest ranches and whether many ranches/organizations make a distinction between due and guest ranches difference as opposed to just a few. --24.130.122.217 (talk) 21:27, 10 March 2014 (UTC)


 * It's more historical; "dude ranch" was an older term, now viewed as mildly perjorative (of the guests, who may not like being thought of as "dudes") and "Guest Ranch" the newer, preferred version. The working ranches that open to guests, as in City Slickers are guest ranches just the same as the more resort-type places - many of which are not all that luxurious, though generally comfortable. It does not surprise me that Google pops up both, but it's a historical reason, not a categorical one. I've been around long enough to notice places that were "XYZ Dude Ranch" when I was a kid are now "XYZ Guest Ranch" now.   Montanabw (talk) 01:01, 12 March 2014 (UTC)