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We city slickers arrived at Rancho de los Caballeros in Wickenburg, Ariz., at midday, ready to be transformed into wrangling cowboys and cowgirls. Mom’s concern? How will my suburban sons like the ranch experience? Will it be three days of trying to get them to turn off the television and iPod?
Flash forward to the end of the week. My cowboys are already planning their return trip, and they are arguing about which was the coolest activity — wrangling steers, trap shooting or ATV riding.
Day One
The six-hour drive from Southern California was easy. We left the vertical concrete of Los Angeles behind and entered the desert of Palm Springs, heading toward Arizona. Once we crossed the Colorado River at the state line, we took Exit 31 off Interstate 10 to Wickenburg, finding ourselves surrounded by an iconic desertscape of sagebrush, Mesquite trees and cactus.
At Rancho de los Caballeros, check-in was quick, friendly and followed by a homestyle escort to our casita, which was located near the horse run on the west side of the property.
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The ranch, opened in 1948, now offers 79 casitas. Each features either one king-size bed and two double beds or a single-plus-double bed configuration. Decor reflects a Spanish-style hacienda, with distressed woodwork and woven textiles. Our casita had plenty of space for the family, with a sitting area, chairs and a cushion-covered window seat.
An additional family-friendly feature was that most casitas can adjoin and, in some of the buildings, up to four units can be connected to accommodate family groups. Some rooms have a fireplace and separate living room. The resort is spread out, so wranglers with small children or those wishing for a shorter walk to the main building should ask for a room in the 100 block.
Rancho de Los Caballeros is easily accessible. While we chose to road-trip it, most of the ranch’s out-of-state guests arrive via an easy 1½-hour transfer from Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport.
Once settled, it didn’t take long for my two future cowboys, ages 12 and 10, to start their vacation. It was off to the pool to burn off pent-up energy from the drive. The pool is located just off the lounge and dining rooms and is bordered by a patio that is open for breakfast and lunch.
Our first evening included a welcome reception, attended by ranch manager Rui Pereira and owner Rusty Gant. Both Pereira and Gant were often visible throughout our stay, attending cookouts, cocktail receptions and meals — definitely a contributor to the high repeat rate the ranch boasts. During our stay, we met many returning guests; the longest was a couple from Indiana who first visited in 1954 and have chalked up 39 visits since.
Dinner at the ranch is fairly formal, with western wear or jackets required for men, but the ambiance is casual, as is the pace of the service. After-dinner activities reminded me of a visit to grandma’s house, with younger children taking off for a movie in the kids’ club, teens enjoying an impromptu game of cards and adults congregating in the saloon.
Day Two
The second day began with a hearty breakfast buffet, followed by a half-day horseback ride to a lunch cookout at Vulture Peak. Dressed in denim, boots — and of course our cowboy hats — we headed to the stable to saddle-up. Guests are encouraged to sign up for the next day’s riding activities the previous evening, and the head wrangler visits guests at dinner to brief them on the scheduled ride or cowboy activity.
The ranch caters to all levels of horsemen, from the never-befores, like my younger son, to experienced riders. Not only do they match the horse to the rider’s ability, but they separate the riders by age and skill. Cowboys under 12 years old have their own group, and adults are split into small groups of five to eight riders led by one wrangler. My sons were with the children’s group, and I opted into the experienced galloper group.
We were saddled up and on the trails by 10:30 a.m. Each group took its own route to the cookout, and wildlife sightings included turkey vultures, rattlesnake, jack rabbits, lizards and squirrels.
Lunch was a barbecue feast of hamburgers, hot dogs, salad and cookies. We relaxed at the cookout site for about an hour before heading back to the ranch.
Like any experienced wrangling mom, I was sure to schedule my spa appointment for after our ride.
The Los Caballeros Spa is conservative but lovely. Located inside one of the ranch’s original homes, the facility features a reception area, a manicure/pedicure room with a fireplace and eight treatment rooms. Spa visitors can enjoy quiet time on the patio or take advantage of the outdoor meditative rock labyrinth with views of Saguaro cacti and Vulture Peak.
Spa services include nail and foot treatments, massages and wraps influenced by native Southwest cultures and vegetation.
I wrapped up my day in the lounge, listening to cowboy artist Roy Calloway. The crowd’s favorite was a hearty rendition of “Ghost Rider.” Another favorite were the prickly pear margaritas.
Day Three
The wake-up bell rang early in casita 301 because we wanted to watch the “running of the horses.” Each day at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., the horses are brought in and out from evening pasture. The route is right along the western edge of the resort, and guests can safely watch since the horses are kept inside a fenced run. The mini stampede makes for a great video or photo memento.
Even the heartiest cowboys need some down time, though, so this morning we joined resident naturalist Dick Fredrickburg on a tour of the Hassayampa River Preserve, located a short 20-minute drive on the other side of Wickenburg. The preserve shows an unexpected side of the desert, green and lush riverside cottonwoods, willows and grass. While we were hoping to spot a resident green kingfisher, we settled for a special peek at a Jane’s hummingbird sitting on eggs in a nest high atop a willow tree.
After our morning hike, it was back to the ranch for skeet and trap shooting. I can’t say I was looking forward to it, but my sons had it on their list of must-do activities.
After a briefing on gun safety and procedures, we were taught how to load, hold and shoot a 20-caliber shotgun. I’m proud to say that this cowgirl outshot her video-game-trained sons, hitting eight of the 25 traps. It was great fun and, if our arms weren’t so beat from the first round, we definitely would have gone another.
Our last ranch activity of the trip was scheduled for after lunch. Team penning is a competition held at the corral. Guests can enjoy the activity on horseback or as spectators. While I had visions of running down and lassoing cattle, the penning is actually much slower paced and can be enjoyed by all levels of riders.
Teams of four, along with one wrangler, participate in rounds of gathering three head of cattle from a herd of about 20 and guiding them down the coral to the cattle pen. The team with the best time wins. My team, the Jangling Spurs, took the honor of most-improved and finished in last place. But my oldest son and I had a lot of fun trying.
Day Four
While we managed to squeeze in almost every ranch activity into our visit, before saying adios, we had one more adventure, a morning tour of the desert on an ATV.
Our destination was the Hassayampa Mountains to the north of town. Our guide, a retired lawyer from Chicago who called himself “ATV Steve,” instructed us on the basics of operating our vehicles. Then, we suited up with helmets, goggles and bandanas, and we were off.
Our tour took us across a river, through narrow canyons, along washes and up into the foothills. We were treated to a desert in full bloom with purple lupine, orange poppies and the pink, white and orange blooms of cactus.
Another option for clients who are not so horse-minded is the Los Caballeros Golf Club. The 18-hole championship Hardin & Nash course is a golfer’s oasis set within the Sonoran Desert. Recognized as one of America’s top 75 resort courses by Golf Magazine and as one of the top five by Golf Digest, the club features a driving range, a restaurant and a pro shop.
Back at the ranch, we decided to grab a quick lunch at the golf course and purchase a few souvenirs from the gift store before heading home to SoCal.
Rancho de Los Caballeros
www.sunc.com
