Dude Ranches Won’t Totally Disappear, Not Yet Anyway

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An article in the Wall Street Journal suggested that dude ranches is going away. Titled “The Disappearing Dude Ranch,” it explained that the “sun may be setting on an American travel institution, as ranch owners face the temptation of cashing out of their land, or strain to please guests who prefer spas to saddles.”

Well, give a ranch owner a break! It’s a “temptation” when a landowner sells to a big-time developer. But it’s a “wise windfall” when anyone else cashes out.

And just when you think the end is near and the statistics are dramatic you read, The Dude Ranchers’ Association reports that its membership has fallen to 100 ranches from 114 in 2006. I quake in my dusty boots. Kinda makes you think someone was hunting for news.

Of course, there’s more to the story than that. Until others are sold, you still have 100 to choose from under the Dude Ranchers’ Association umbrella. For those Dude ranches remaining, let’s saddle up a few horses for the wandering traveler wanting to “Cowboy Up.”

Patrick OD O'Donnell

The moment a bull's gate swings open—that's when Patrick "OD" O'Donnell feels most alive. From his early days riding bareback through Arizona pastures to revolutionizing the bull riding industry as President of Bull Riders Only, OD has lived the Western lifestyle he now champions as Founder of Cowboy Lifestyle Network. Growing up in Casa Grande's sunbaked agricultural heartland, he didn't just learn about horses and ranching, he lived it daily, developing the instincts and grit that would later attract 4 million followers to CLN's authentic voice. After his baseball days at the University of Arizona, OD saw something others missed: bull riding wasn't just a sport, but was compelling entertainment waiting for the right vision. Between 1990-1997, his leadership transformed local rodeo competitions into sold-out arena events that changed Western sports forever. Today, that same pioneering spirit drives CLN's coverage of everything from championship rodeos to the quiet heroism of ranch life. When he's not building the digital home for cowboy culture, you'll find OD supporting Harris Brothers Charity Foundation, leading CLN’s 25-year Christmas Toy Drive for Arizona kids, or sharing his love of horsemanship with special needs riders through Arizona's own Horses Help. Living proof that authentic Western values still have the power to transform lives.