Kay El Bar Guest Ranch

Kay El Bar is a small historic guest ranch on the outskirts of Wickenburg, Arizona, just over an hour northwest of Phoenix, in the foothills of the Bradshaw Mountains on the banks of the Hassayampa River. The land was homesteaded in 1909 by 18-year-old Romaine Lowdermilk, and the ranch welcomed its first guests in 1926. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

With room for about 25 guests, it is one of the more intimate desert ranches. Guests stay in lodge rooms in the original adobe buildings, each with a private modern bath, hand-painted Monterey furniture and western art, and there are larger family quarters. Meals are served plated, buffet or family-style in the dining room, on the patio or on the trail. There is a pool and hot tub.

Rides head out on trails across federal land next to the ranch, along the Hassayampa wash and up rocky ridges, with beginner rides, horsemanship lessons, faster trotting and loping rides, cattle work and team penning; trail riding starts at age 5. Shooting sports, archery, hiking and off-road tours round out the days. The ranch is open October through April, the minimum stay is three nights, and Phoenix Sky Harbor is about 70 miles away. It offers a Full American Plan as well as a bed-and-breakfast package; ask the ranch for current rates.