Stanfordville, NY – November 14, 2025– Curated travel experts like Active Riding Trips — which hasn’t offered a horseback riding trip since 2003 that president Stacey Adams hasn’t tried first — know how popular Arizona can be with families, couples and solo explorers, and is working with True Ranch Collection to offer four historic dude ranch vacations that match its mission to preserve original Old West vacation spots.
White Stallion Ranch
A true Arizona institution, for more than half a century one family has operated White Stallion Ranch and it’s easy to see why three generations have been proud to uphold its dude ranch legacy. Its authenticity and quality of its horseback rides and service are legendary within the tourism industry and earlier in 2025, USA TODAY named White Stallion Ranch one of its 10 best dude ranches in America.
“I really do not know where to begin to describe one of the best trips of my riding life,” say guests like Sharon W., who took her trip to White Stallion Ranch. “The trip was exactly what we were looking for in terms of time, location, experience and interest. Stacey met with us to get to know exactly what we were looking for and couldn’t have picked a more perfect spot. White Stallion is geared toward everyone’s ability. Food, accommodations and customer service all top notch. People from all over the world come here and we made so many friendships. I noticed many ‘frequent fliers’ who come year after year. That says so much about this ranch.”
The 43-room White Stallion Ranch sits on 3,000 acres adjacent to Saguaro National Park West and is built around authentic ranch life. Whether it’s trail riding in the desert, cattle work at the ranch, or exploring the nearby Tucson Mountains, there are ample ways to stay busy. Plus it’s perfect for families with members who may not ride “as much.” White Stallion Ranch non-riding activities include certified rock climbing from 5.3 to 5.12 in difficulty, fat tire bike riding in the desert, hiking, archery, shooting, and tennis. Relax by the pool or campfire, or check out the weekly rodeo and nightly entertainment.
Kay El Bar Ranch
Built in the early 1900s from adobe brick handmade by native ancestors of today’s Maricopa people, the Kay El Bar Ranch is listed on the National Historic Register and is the perfect place to see the biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert from atop a horse.
Kay El Bar sits on 100 private acres and daily rides are never repetitive thanks to additional access to over 2,000 acres of BLM land. The ranch’s trusty string of dude ranch horses are seasoned navigators of the landscape and carrying visitors on leisurely lopes through the scrub.
And if you’re looking for a little more “action,” try your hand at team penning.
“Turns out this is the roping capital of the United States, and there are lots of pens within a five minute drive that offer competitions every day. Horses are everywhere,” said Kay El Bar guest, Jeanne C.
From White Stallion to White House
At nearly 300 years old, Rancho de la Osa in Sasabe is Arizona’s most historic ranch, where it’s still possible to ride trails frequented by U.S. Presidents like Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson, Hollywood movie stars and notorious figures like Francisco “Pancho” Villa. Here you’ll find an elevated experience with exceptional wining and dining, unmatched hospitality, and a rare convergence of Native American, Spanish, Mexican and ranch cultures. The original adobe buildings still stand, with the earliest (1722) built by Jesuit missionaries traveling with Italian missionary and geographer, Eusebio Kino.
La Osa was a working cattle ranch through the 1800s, during which the Spanish-style hacienda was added, and welcomed its first vacationing “dudes” in 1920s, continuing to play host to numerous prominent guests through the decades. Today, building upon those rich traditions, Rancho de la Osa offers a true western experience
Lights, Action, Tombstone
“This is literally like being in the movie,” says Stacey Adams about this trip. “Like riding onto the set, complete with saloon, bordello, hotel and requisite Main Street with hitching posts, and the Dragoon Mountains as a backdrop. Every way you turn, the picture is stunning.”
For a limited number of riders looking to take their Western riding experience up a notch, ask about the cattle drives offered twice a year — Spring and Fall — to round up, herd and tag the cattle. When you’re not in the saddle this Wild West experience offers shooting and archery, or for history buffs, hiking to see petroglyphs carved into cliff faces or visiting the mines that gave the town its first settlers.
“And no trip is complete,” she says, “without riding into Tombstone, tying your horse to a hitching post and stepping up to the bar at Big Nose Kate’s (Doc Holliday’s girlfriend) to order a drink.”
Learn more about dude ranching plus commonly asked questions on how to choose a riding trip, what to pack, and assessing your riding level at activeridingtrips.com.
Media Contact:
L.A. Berry
latheequinista@gmail.com
(646) 920-9510