Dude and guest ranches geared to families

Last week's post (Tips for Moms: Selecting a ranch for kids) just touched on a subject blog readers always want to know more about: how to find the perfect ranch suited to your children and the family's needs. 

Our partner site, Ranchweb.com, breaks out their list of North American ranches into helpful categories, from those with children's trail riding (including Arizona's Rancho de los Caballeros) to guest ranches and resorts with teen programs (as at Colorado's Wilderness Trails Ranch); to ranches that let kids eat together with other children (as at New York's Rocking Horse Dude Ranch Resort).

And some ranches have fine-tuned their children's programs over decades. Take California's Rankin Ranch, for example. Founded in 1863 (click to see the ranch in pictures), the ranch history runs deep and the Rankin family delights in sharing this history with guests. Their supervised children's program for ages 4-11 provides activities throughout the day: treasure hunts to nature walks, arts and crafts fun, talent shows, toy boat building and racing. Each evening, everyone enjoys visiting Sarah's Farm to feed and pet the calves, chickens, pigs, and sheep. Plan ahead: the ranch is open March-September.