3 Great Dude Ranch Breakfast Rides

There’s not much better than a piping hot breakfast…unless it’s a piping hot breakfast served cowboy style on the trail!

Before starting a full day of horseback riding and ranch activities, get your fill with the most important meal of the day and a jumpstart from a cup of cowboy coffee. These dude ranches offer fun breakfast rides sure to give you strength in the saddle. Trust us--breakfast never tastes so good as it does after a morning trail ride!

#1 Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana

The Ranch at Rock Creek in Western Montana offers a Friday morning breakfast ride during the summer. Guests meet at the barn for an 8 a.m. horse-drawn wagon ride to Piney Pond. The large wooden wagon can accommodate 24 guests and is pulled by a team of draft horses.

This relaxing activity is great for families and allows everyone to participate, including grandparents and small children who might not be up for rigorous trail riding. The scenic route crosses meadows and brings guests to a picnic area complete with a glamping tent turned kitchen with views of the valley floor.

This Relais & Chateaux ranch takes cuisine seriously. Enjoy a fireside breakfast complete with both hearty and light fare, from pastries to Executive Chef Drage’s Dutch oven dining experience. Other dishes include thick cut local bacon, frittatas with seasonal vegetables, and biscuits and gravy. After a relaxing two-hour breakfast alongside Piney Pond and nearby waterfall, return to the wagon and ride back to the barn to start a day of ranch activities.  

#2 Tanque Verde Ranch in Arizona

Make your way on horseback to the Old Homestead at Tanque Verde Ranch to enjoy their hearty chuckwagon breakfast. This leisurely early morning ride takes guests past saguaro cacti on dusty and hilly trails to a full spread any breakfast lover will appreciate. Fill your plate with blueberry pancakes, eggs, bacon and more while enjoying the surrounding views of the Sonoran desert from the Old Homestead hillside.

Read more about Tanque Verde’s breakfast ride here.

#3 Bar Lazy J in Colorado

Bar Lazy J offers their Breakfast Horseback Ride every Wednesday morning. A light continental breakfast is provided for guests before hitting the trail for this all-walking ride in the backdrop of the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Families and friends are grouped together, and photos are taken by a professional photographer on the trail. This entire ride is led by ranch owner Cheri Helmicki, and has been every Wednesday for the past 20 years. Guests take in views above the river valley from before dropping into the trees and crossing the Colorado River. On the other side of the river, a full breakfast awaits.

The Bar Lazy J’s chef has been up early preparing a breakfast of sausage, eggs, potatoes and veggies, bacon, homemade biscuits and jam and his famous banana walnut pancakes.

If you are traveling with youngsters or companions that do not want to ride, guests are more than welcome to ride in a van to the breakfast site to meet up with the other guests.

After breakfast, guests can choose to continue their ride into an extended all day ride with lunch on the trail or head back to the ranch a different route via one of their Scenic, Moderate or Adventure rides to get back in time for afternoon zip lining.

Learn more about dude ranch vacations in the Equitrekking Vacation Guide, Top20Ranches and check out discounts to get you there on Equitrekking Travel Deals.