Utah Guest Ranches & Dude Ranches

Choosing a ranch stay in Utah

Utah does not have the long tradition of week-long dude ranches that Wyoming and Montana have, and its ranches are more varied as a result. Some are comfortable bases for the national parks with flexible nightly stays; others are remote working ranches where you join the real work. Decide first which of the two you want.

Ranches near the national parks

• Zion Mountain Ranch sits on a buffalo preserve three minutes from the east entrance of Zion National Park. It is open year-round, with 55 cabins, guided horseback tours, canyoneering and Jeep tours.
• The Ranch at Wild Rose in Alton, between Zion and Bryce Canyon, runs multi-day cattle drives of about 110 miles to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in summer and fall. It suits confident riders.

Mountain and backcountry ranches

• The Lodge at Blue Sky is a luxury ranch hotel on 3,500 acres at Wanship, about 20 minutes from Park City and 35 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport, open all year with riding and fly fishing in summer and cross-country skiing in winter.
• Defa's Dude Ranch in the Uinta backcountry near Hanna has been run by the Defa family since the 1940s, with 18 hand-built cabins and a season from May to October.
• Tavaputs Ranch, founded in 1889, is a six-generation cattle ranch at about 9,000 feet on the rim of Desolation Canyon, open from late June to early September, next to the ancient ruins and rock art of Range Creek.

When to go

The mountain ranches run from late spring to early fall; Tavaputs has the shortest season. Zion Mountain Ranch and The Lodge at Blue Sky are open year-round, which makes them the choice for a spring, fall or winter trip.

Getting there

Salt Lake City International (SLC) is the main gateway for northern Utah, including Park City and the Uintas. The southern ranches near Zion and Bryce are a long but scenic drive from Salt Lake City or Las Vegas. The remote ranches will tell you how to reach them when you book.