Saddle Up, Skeet Shoot, and BBQ Under the Stars at This Arizona Dude Ranch

Inside the ranch, my husband, a former professional pool player, was immediately drawn to the massive pool and poker tables in the game room while my daughter was captivated by the wood-burning fireplace in the lobby, quickly getting cozy among the couches, saddles, and grand piano. Within minutes of settling in at Rancho de los Caballeros, all three of us knew that we were in for a special weekend.

Photo: Rancho de los Caballeros

Surrounded by the Sonoran Desert, Rancho de los Caballeros has 79 rooms, including 67 casitas and 12 suites that open to views of saguaros, wild flora and fauna, and breathtaking sunsets. Room rates range from $390 to $615 per night depending on the season.

My family and I stayed in one of the Maricopa Suites, a 750-square-foot private casita that was perfect for our three-person family. The spacious living area contains a queen-size Murphy bed, a dining table, a fireplace, sofas, and a writing desk, as well as a private balcony. Maricopa Suites also come with a cute kitchen, a private bedroom with a king bed, and a double-sink bathroom with a jetted tub and large walk-in shower.

Photo: Rancho de los Caballeros

While my family enjoyed one of the ranch’s most spacious casitas, even the smallest 310-square-foot rooms at Rancho de los Caballeros can fit up to three guests, with your choice of a king bed or a double-twin combo. All of the accommodations share the same charming Santa Fe-style decor, with interior touches such as Mexican tiling and Southwestern paintings to create the charming ambiance of an authentic yet elevated dude ranch.

Photo: Rancho de los Caballeros

When you’re not relaxing in your casita, there’s a wide variety of activities to experience at Rancho de los Caballeros. To start, the ranch has its very own championship-caliber 18-hole golf course that will have you teeing off in view of the rolling Bradshaw Mountains. The ranch also hosts tennis and pickleball courts; guided excursions such as bike, jeep, and ATV tours; and wellness amenities such as yoga and spa offerings.

But if you’ve come for the true ranch experience, you’d be remiss not to saddle up and take a horseback trail ride into the Sonoran desert. The 1.5-hour trail ride is suited for all levels or horseback riders — beginner through advanced — and accompanied by ranch wranglers. Guests under the age of seven can also enjoy a horseback experience through the ranch’s ring rides, which are five-minute rides around a corral led by a wrangler, as well as other kid-friendly activities through the ranch’s kids club.

While the horseback rides were the highlight of our family’s stay, my husband also loved the skeet shooting lesson that he took, while my daughter and I tried our hand at roping, which we learned is not as easy as it looks but nonetheless fun to try. Trap shooting and archery lessons are also available and led by professional instructors, among other activities.

Photo: Rancho de los Caballeros

In addition to daily breakfast and lunch buffets, a club grill, and a saloon for evening entertainment and drinks on the property, the main dining room at Rancho de los Caballeros brings fine dining to the ranch experience. It was fun getting dressed up — think vest or jacket for men and business casual for women — and attending a formal dinner at the resort. The menu includes dishes such as a bruschetta board and sea bass ceviche for starters, steak or red mountain trout for mains, a nice selection that’s suitable for kids, and desserts like the giant chocolate chip cookie brownie sundae that’s sure to be a hit for diners of all ages.

Rancho de los Caballeros also recently launched its inaugural Celebrity Chef Ranch Weekends, a culinary series hosted once a month from November 2023 to April 2024. The series brings together the ranch’s Executive Chef Jacob Ellis with a variety of guest chefs, creating immersive three-course dinner experiences that incorporate each chef’s signature specialties.

If you’re planning a weekend getaway at the ranch, there’s another special culinary experience that’s not to be missed: a Saturday cookout. The event starts with an evening hayride that takes you to Yucca Flats, where you’ll enjoy slow-cooked barbecue under the stars, s’mores by the campfire, ranch games, hot cocoa, and sing-alongs led by acoustic-guitar-playing cowboys. Our daughter danced the night away in her pink cowgirl hat and jeans.

Photo: Rosemarie Mosteller/Shutterstock

As with most accommodations, part of Rancho de los Caballeros’ charm is its location. Wickenburg is truly a town that spirits the Old West, with a historic downtown that has shops, galleries, and cafes. For history enthusiasts, a visit to the Desert Caballeros Western Museum provides a deep dive into the area’s cowboy and ranching heritage. For outdoor enthusiasts, the Hassayampa River Preserve offers serene nature trails and bird-watching opportunities along the Hassayampa River. Between the property itself and the surrounding town, Rancho de los Caballeros has everything you need to stay entertained for a weekend or longer.

Photo: Gareth Janzen/Shutterstock

Rancho de los Caballeros is located inside Wickenburg, a small Arizona desert town. If you’re arriving by plane, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the closest major airport. From there, you can rent a car and take a 1.5-hour drive northwest on US-60 W. The drive is filled with cool Arizona landscapes and desert views. If you’re driving from other parts of Arizona, Wickenburg is accessible via US-60 or State Route 93. We drove from Scottsdale, Arizona, and the drive was just under 1.5 hours.