A hundred horses and a lone donkey clattered through the pen. Behind them, aspen trees burned egg yolk and the mountains turned into blurry silhouettes. The sound of hooves was heard and dust scattered around. I was promised a show and that was it.
Every day before sunset at Circle Z Farm in Patagonia, the herd runs towards the night pasture in a spectacular stampede at sunset. It’s one of the highlights of the day’s schedule at this century-plus ranch, one of eight historic properties on the newly designated Arizona Dude Ranch Heritage Trail.
The “dude ranch” or “guest ranch” grew as a concept in the late 1800s, as wealthy people from the eastern United States and Europe were drawn to vast swathes of the American West, from Wyoming to Colorado and Arizona. Savvy farmers who made a hard, dust-covered living raising cattle soon realized they could earn extra money by hosting wealthy travelers. And so the guest farm was born.
Fast forward more than a century, and sprawling guest ranches are planted across vast landscapes of the West. The new road, an initiative of the State of Arizona connecting the oldest of these valuable properties, serves to preserve a relic of Western history.
“We’re getting busier every year,” said Diana Nash, co-owner of Circle Z Ranch, as we relaxed in the cozy canteen heated by an open fire. I was spending a few nights here in Lucia’s Suite, which was spacious with its pillow-top king bed and view of the corral. Circle Z has been in the Nash family since 1976 and is the oldest continuously operating dude ranch in the state, considering it was founded in 1926. “Dude ranches offer a way to share this lifestyle—horseback riding, spending time in the open. This is the original version of nature-based tourism,” she says.
Nash said the new road also demonstrates the breadth of Arizona’s terrain. Sprucedale Guest Ranch is the northeasternmost property on the stretch of pine trees, stretching all the way to the New Mexico border. Located in Mesa, toward the center of the state, Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch is characterized by its namesake lake and serpentine Salt River. Then there’s the Western Rancho de Los Caballeros, planted on cactus-filled plains that could have been plucked straight from a crackling western.
Circle Z encounters the Sonoita Creek State Natural Area and Coronado National Forest, with nearly 200 miles of trails leading into the wilderness; all within striking distance of the Mexican border, jumping over lazy Sonoita Creek and winding into mesquite-planted mountains. . Nash explained that these lands contain archaeological remains from Indigenous cultures, such as the Sobaipuri and Papago tribes, who once called these lands home.
The waters are also an oasis for migratory birds, and the area is the northernmost home of species such as the coati, a raccoon-like creature common throughout South America.
But more than the wild animals, beloved horses (and adopted donkey Tony) are the lifeblood of this property. As they have since the farm’s inception, days here revolve around the herd, evolve with long trail rides, and end with dinners served family-style and campfire sing-alongs (assistant Kelly moonlights as a musician).
But the real beauty of today’s Circle Z Farm is that it’s not all that different from yesterday. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel every year,” assistant Alice called after her as she guided me down a rugged mountain road the next day. I was riding Picante, a slender, cinnamon-coloured horse that carefully picked its way along the trail. “We already figured that out.”
The road’s finale proved Alice’s point. The ground tilted dramatically, revealing heartfelt panoramas of the 265-acre man-made Patagonian Lake. Picante let out a deep breath, as if he too was admiring the view.
But while dude ranches have both natural and historical value, that doesn’t mean it’s an easy journey, as Russell True, president of White Stallion Ranch, explained during my visit. The White Stallion is located in Tucson’s saguaro-filled countryside, about 80 miles north of Circle Z.
After checking into an elaborate suite with wooden beams and Western-themed artwork, True and I sat on the porch next to a turn-of-the-century adobe structure. The land here had been owned by the farm since 1936, and guest quarters were built in 1945 after the farm was purchased by a wealthy Chicago liquor store magnate. At that time, the White Stallion was added to the rich puzzle of Arizona dude ranches.
“There were 338 dude ranches in Arizona at one time,” True told me. “And of those 338, 127 were within an hour of Tucson. When my family bought this farm in 1965, 24 of the 127 farms operating in Tucson were still in operation. Now there are two. I watched them shrink.”
True blames this decline primarily on the “explosive growth” of urban areas and rising land prices. The latter, he explained, was partly due to the pandemic, which has engulfed rural land at an alarming rate as people pour out of cities.
“You can’t run a dude ranch and have nowhere to ride horses,” he said. “A dude ranch isn’t about riding in an arena.”
Fortunately, the land in White Stallion is fertile. The ranch spans nearly 3,000 acres and borders Saguaro National Park, which is used for the resort’s equestrian programs. Zigzagging paths among skyscraper saguaro cacti that grow only in the Sonoran Desert.
True hopes this trail will put Arizona’s dude ranches back on the map. “These dude ranches are an important part of our heritage,” he says. “The new track is a way to talk about that.”
To qualify for the trail, a dude ranch must have been in operation for at least 25 years; It will span 1,000 contiguous acres; and we offer activities such as horseback riding or cattle ranching experiences.
But while that legacy is vital (horses, hats, hospitality, legacy, integrity and heart are the six cornerstones of dude farming, according to True), he recognizes the value of diversifying operations at White Stallion.
“Some people just want to go fast on the road; other people want to slowly walk out and be greeted with a tray of wine and cheese,” he chuckled.
It’s a hit with guests, who can enjoy activities like wine and cheese trips (not to mention beer and cheetos trips), rock climbing, jeep rides, or an evening at the farm’s private cinema. One afternoon, I changed saddles and sped into the desert on a fat bike, zipping past curious longhorn cows and staggering cacti in the shadow of Panther and Safford Peaks.
The offerings at the luxurious Rancho de los Caballeros in Wickenburg, about an hour northwest of Phoenix, are equally diverse. I arrived just after sunset and checked into a rustic-chic mansion, complete with a roaring fire and a giant bathtub. Dinner was in the farm’s main dining room; My vegetarian craving was met with eggplant steak, buttery puree and sticky-sweet brussels sprouts. The following days were filled with archery, trap shooting, and evenings by the roaring lobby fire; The farm’s last hire was an “Entertainment Director.”
“The modern dude ranch has evolved into something more versatile,” general manager George McGann told me one afternoon. Rancho de los Caballeros opened in 1948 and was operated by the same family for 74 years before recently shifting to new ownership. “We are more of a resort now; We have a golf course, we have a spa. You’d never find a spa on an old dude ranch.
“Horses are still our main attraction; people want to come here and put on their cowboy boots and hats – but there’s a lot of variety in our attractions, and I think that’s what most people are looking for today.”
Then I headed into the Sonoran Desert for one last excursion with assistant Shelby Norris. Norris regaled me with one of the many legends surrounding the town’s founder, Henry Wickenburg; Wickenburg reportedly threw a rock at a circling vulture and found his fortune when the rock shattered to reveal veins of gold. He also spotted abundant desert vegetation along the trail: willowy palo verde and scalpel-sharp teddy bear cholla, named for its deceptively furry appearance. There were also saguaros, their huge arms stretching into the powder blue sky.
As we drove along, I was reminded of the true, beating heart of any ranch: America’s wild, legend-filled West and the chance to explore it on horseback.
Fundamentals
Jacqui Agate was a guest of the Arizona Tourism Office (visitarizona.com).
Rancho de los Caballeros (+1 928 684 5484; anchodeloscaballeros.com) has double rooms from £248 including breakfast.
Circle Z Ranch (+1 520 394 2525; Circlez.com) has double rooms from £1,269 per person for short stays Sunday to Thurs, or from £2,221 per person, including meals, horseback riding and all planned activities. It has weekly stays. tax and tip.
White Stallion Ranch (+1 520 297 0252; whitestallion.com) has double rooms from £316, including meals and horseback riding.
You can fly direct from London Heathrow to Phoenix with British Airways (britishairways.com) for £548 return.