Family dude ranch vacations could provide the solution to the problem faced by almost every parent: getting the kids away from the X-Box! Whether your child is glued to their games console, computer, television screen or cell phone, family dude ranch vacations can tear even the most gadget-savvy child out of the digital age and enlighten them to the simpler ways to enjoy life.

Top50 Ranches has come up with 10 wonderful ways to de-gadget your kids on a family dude ranch vacation – try these simple strategies for size…

1. Get ‘em in the saddle at Red Horse Mountain Ranch and you’ll have a hard time trying to get them back off the horse! The Idaho family dude ranch’s children’s program includes horseback riding for children as young as three years, allowing kids to go horseback riding on the trail with the rest of the family.

2. Let them jump in at the deep end – literally! – at Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge, whose all-inclusive Montana family vacations include lake water sports among a whole host of other ranch activities. In fact, at Flathead Lake Lodge the kids can enjoy the most diverse range of all-inclusive activities offered by any USA ranch – think horseback riding, sailing, personalized fly-fishing, water sports, horseback riding, rodeo, tepee campouts, family barn dances and so much more.

3. Send them mountain biking at Majestic Dude Ranch, which boasts an impressive fleet of brand new, state-of-the-art bikes for every age and size. With pro-cyclist Nick as their guide, the kids will be awestruck at the exciting cycle trails to tackle in Colorado’s beautiful Mesa Verde National Forest, some of which have been named in the top 10 mountain biking trails in the USA.

4. Make ‘em cowboys! At Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge, kids get to try out real rodeo games in the arena during the week, then put their new cowboy skills to the test in the weekly take-part family rodeo. The only thing they’ll want to watch on TV after this is ‘Eight Seconds’!

5. Set your teens loose in Yellowstone on Lone Mountain Guest Ranch’s “Teens Only” tour of the national park, on a backpacking trip into the Spanish Peaks. Not only will they not be able to get cell phone service in the mountains, they’ll probably forget why they ever bothered with texting in the first place.

6. Get bonding with your daughter at the Sugar and Spice Ranch in Texas, USA. The moms-and-daughters dude ranch encourages bonding through fun horseback games, rodeo and horse care activities. If your little girl loves horses, she’ll love this Texas family vacation – and so will you!

7. Forget heading to town for 10-pin bowling – Montana's The Ranch at Rock Creek’s Silver Dollar Saloon entertainment area comes fully equipped with a four-lane bowling alley, complete with computerized scoring, a selection of balls and bowling shoes in assorted sizes. Strike!

8. Swimming with dolphins? So last year. This year’s family ranch vacation is all about swimming with horses. That’s right, head to Sweet Grass Ranch for a Montana family vacation where the kids – and you! – can enjoy swimming your horse bareback in the creek.

9. Roll them down a hill. Yes, really! It’s all about “zorbing” these days, so take a Montana family vacation at The Resort at Paws Up, which offers exactly that. What could be a better way to get your thrill-seeker kids outdoors than to ask them to strap themselves inside a giant bouncy ball and launch themselves down a hill? (See above.) Don’t worry, it’s all fully supervised and totally safe!

10. Get ‘em chasing cows on cattle drives at Bonanza Creek Ranch. Your Montana family vacation will see them doing the job of wranglers, with guests of all ages, if able to control their horse independently, encouraged to play an active role in the working ranch’s style cattle drives. Prepare to unleash their inner Billy the Kid!

For more information on family dude ranch vacations, visit Top50Ranches.com

Bargain ranch vacations don't have to mean compromising on quality and high standards. Take a dude ranch vacation at Top50's Lone Mountain Guest Ranch this June and you'll save a whopping 10%, thanks to the Montana dude ranch's special offer. The discount ranch vacations are so tempting, we've named them Top50 Ranch Special of the Month for April 2012. Hurry and book your spot now, because this discount ranch vacation offer is sure to sell out quickly! Scroll down for details...

Lone Mountain Guest Ranch:  Save 10% in June 2012

Dude ranch vacations are made extra special with Lone Mountain's great savings

Save 10% between June 17 - June 30 2012 at Lone Mountain Guest Ranch in Montana, USA. Experience Yellowstone National Park with the new baby animals, horseback riding, hiking, canoeing, kids programs, incredible food, wildflowers, BBQs, evening programs and more at this luxury Montana dude ranch!

Rates start at $2,414/ person based on 2 adults and 2 children sharing a small cabin for 7 nights.

 View Lone Mountain's Top50 ranch profile for rates and more information

Ranch recipes from Triple Creek Ranch in Montana, USA, are always going to be special - after all, the luxury dude ranch's Executive Chef Jacob Leatherman is French-trained and encompasses a variety of global influences into his fine dining recipes at the Triple Creek Restaurant. Dude ranch vacations here mean even a humble sandwich is a culinary delight - as Top50's ranch recipe of the month for April 2012 proves. Try Triple Creek's sumptuous recipe for Local Goat Cheese Sandwich with Smoked Trout, to make your lunchtimes as special as they are at this Montana dude ranch.

Local Goats Cheese Sandwich with Smoked Trout 

Makes 4-5 small sandwiches
Prep 5 mins
Cook 5 mins

1 good quality baguette, thinly sliced
2 oz goats cheese
2 sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp each fresh chives, sage, parsley, and rosemary, finely chopped
1 oz smoked trout, chopped
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp butter

1. Put all ingredients, except for baguette slices, butter, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into a mixing bowl. Using a wood spoon or spatula, mix all ingredients together. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Spread mixture on the slices of baguette. You should get about 4-5 small sandwiches.

2. Heat sauté pan on medium heat. Add the rest of the olive oil and the butter into the pan. When the butter starts to foam, place the sandwiches into the pan. After a couple of minutes flip the sandwiches. Let the other side cook until golden. Both sides should be golden and the cheese should just start to ooze from the sides. Drain on paper towel and devour immediately.

Chef Jacob's top tip: "We purchase our goat cheese from Amalthia Farms in Belgrade, Montana. Just substitute any high-quality goat cheese from your local food store."

For more information on Triple Creek Ranch, view their ranch profile at Top50Ranches.com

Five-star service is an added luxury on dude ranch vacations. While all of Top50's ranches meet high standards of excellence in food, accommodations, horseback riding and hospitality, there are a few stand-out ranches when it comes to five-star service, from high guest:staff ratios, to personalized vacations and those all-important personal touches.

If you're looking for five-star service on your next dude ranch vacation, you need to check out these Top50 ranches...

The Resort at Paws Up in Montana, USA, has a real commitment to luxury, offering first-class service, and luxurious accommodations and amenities. Step into a world of incomparable creature comforts, gourmet cuisine, decadent spa treatments, hi-tech amenities and, most importantly, a highly personalized service. Stay in the Montana dude ranch's private luxury homes and tents, and enjoy the staff's attentive, anticipatory service, with your own personal butler and chef. Paws Up is ideal if you're after a resort-style dude ranch vacation with privacy and a flexible, personalized schedule.

Luxury and great hospitality at Siwash Lake Ranch, Canada

Siwash Lake Ranch in BC, Canada, treats every guest to their own personal horse for duration of their stay, and private guides will escort you through the beautiful ranch. Here the focus is on supportive and informative mentoring at all times; being such a small, private and exclusive Canada guest ranch, taking a maximum of 16-24 guests, the ranch's 14 staff ensure royal pampering for all. The personal service is complemented by Siwash Lake's intimate, boutique atmosphere, and because it's run by 4th-generation ranches, the luxury dude ranch guarantees authentic dude ranch vacations as well.

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in British Columbia is Top50's only luxury tented safari camp, and is a truly high-end and detail-oriented Canada guest ranch. As well as a gourmet food and wine experience, you'll be treated to highly personalized trips with no need to sign up in advance, and your own personal guide if desired. Every evening the luxury dude ranch's Activities Directors will sit with you personally and design your adventures for the next day. A remarkable team of staff provides the Clayoquot Wilderness experience, where nature adventure meets personalized service - from the office staff, to kitchen staff and servers, to the sommelier, to the nature guides.

Echo Valley Ranch and Spa is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), and offers warm and welcoming dude ranch vacations in BC Canada. Owners Norm and Nan, and their highly dedicated staff, will all make you feel right at home while providing a five-star iconic Canadian ranch experience. Not forgetting the award-winning BaanThai and European-style spa - a bit of pampering is a must at this Canada guest ranch! With babysitting service and lots of packages to cater to all needs, Echo Valley does its utmost to make your dude ranch vacation special.

Head to Montana's The Ranch at Rock Creek and experience limitless outdoor recreational opportunities, outstanding accommodation and cuisine, and a full-service spa. The Montana dude ranch offers the feel of the “true West” without sacrificing true comfort, designing an activities program with your individual tastes, preferences and needs in mind. Think tailor-made experiences, no strict schedule, a full-service spa, and five-star dining. At Rock Creek, hospitality and attention to detail is delivered with a subtle excellence and with an ambiance of warmth, luxury and comfort. Staff interaction is casual but professional, making dude ranch vacations at The Ranch truly five-star.

Vista Verde is a luxury Colorado dude ranch with an incredible 1:1 guest-staff ratio! This means dude ranch vacations with flexibility and personalization. Unlike a resort, however, Vista Verde hires down to earth people who treat you like family. The luxury dude ranch's wranglers and guides will go out of their way to tailor each experience to your interest and ability, and you can rest assured that top-notch gear and equipment is provided for your convenience.

Everything at Triple Creek Ranch, MT, is made 'just so' by the caring staff

Triple Creek Ranch in Montana, USA, allows you to relax in world-class accommodations, dine on the freshest contemporary cuisine and sample the world's finest wines. The luxury dude ranch's caring staff pamper you at every turn, and can personally plan special adventures off-ranch, as well as on-ranch. An adult oriented ranch, this is a couple's haven - think luxury accommodations, chef's table dining, candlelit dinners, moonlight strolls and a private cabin, plus movies under the stars! You'll also be welcomed with a bottle of wine and basket of goodies in your luxury accommodations. A winner for adults wanting a secluded getaway with five star service!

For more information on ranches with five-star service, vist Top50Ranches.com

Working ranch vacations don't get more authentic or action-packed than at McGinnis Meadows Ranch, and that's why the Montana guest ranch and working ranch has been chosen as Top50's March 2012 Ranch of the Month.

Each month we scour our selection of dude ranch vacations and pick out one that we feel surpasses our standards of excellence - and, most importantly, offers something unique. That could be anything from ultra-luxurious facilities, to those personal touches that really make a ranch vacation, to fast-and-furious cattle drives that'll be etched in your memory forever. In the case of McGinnis Meadows, it's the latter!

Top50 has chosen Montana guest ranch McGinnis Meadows as March 2012 Ranch of the Month 

Head to McGinnis Meadows Ranch in Montana and be transported to the true west. Immerse yourself in authentic western cowboy culture on this working cattle operation and ride with real cowboys as you saddle up for all-day cattle drives, take park in branding, work cattle in the arena and learn the art of natural horsemanship with Buck Brannaman inspired groundwork and horseback riding lessons.

Take a working ranch vacation at this Montana guest ranch and expect a real hands-on experience - from catching up your horse in the morning, to graining and letting him out again at night. Beginner and experienced riders alike will leave the ranch with more knowledge about horses, horsemanship, and cattle than they'll experienced anywhere else. McGinnis Meadows' wranglers will work with you individually and tailor each day to you to help you progress throughout the week.

While you're welcome to take relaxing trail rides throughout the ranch, cattle work is the specialty here: learn to cut and pen steers in the arena, prepare for cattle drives by moving small herds of mother cows in the meadows, then venture out on cattle drives across 75,000 acres of spectacular country. During the day enjoy the freedom to ride and participate in ranch work as much or as little as you wish, and rest assured that each evening you'll come home to the heartiest of meals, first-class lodging and sincere, authentic hospitality.

For more information on McGinnis Meadows Ranch, visit Top50Ranches.com

Is there a ranch that stands out for you? Tell us why and we'll consider for upcoming Ranches of the Month!

Horsemanship clinics at dude ranches are just one way to improve your horseback riding and horse handling skills on your dude ranch vacation. While working ranches are the most likely to host regular horsemanship clinics, guest ranches and luxury dude ranches may also offer similar clinics and demonstrations for guests to watch and often participate in.

Horsemanship clinics at McGinnis Meadows, a Montana working cattle ranch and guest ranch

The Hideout Guest Ranch in Wyoming, USA, is this year holding 'Authentic Horsemanship Clinics' in April and October 2012 - week-long training clinics led by the guest ranch's full-time horseman Ramon Castro and assisted by Marijn Werquin. Sign up for the clinic and you'll get hands-on lessons in colt-starting techniques, natural horsemanship training, clinics in desensitizing, leadership and horses training, working horses with cattle, equine massage and team penning. Best of all, you'll get the chance to put your new learnings into practice as you saddle up and ride out on the ranch.

If you want to learn about horse safety, sign up for Three Bars Ranch's 'Introduction to Horsemanship and Horse Safety' program in May 2012. The Canada guest ranch has teamed up with the College of the Rockies to offer a week-long horsemanship and horse safety program.

Colorado guest ranch Zapata Ranch is hosting a whole range of themed weeks and horsemanship clinics - from the 'Women's Week and Horsemanship Clinic', to the 'Horsemanship Clinic' week held in conjunction with its sister ranch, Chico Basin Ranch. The latter includes one-on-one horsemanship instruction, educational demonstrations, rides through the surrounding meadows and dunes and working cattle and bison on horseback. Leave the week feeling a deeper connection to horses and will understand how to better communicate with them. You can even bring your own horse.

Working ranch McGinnis Meadows Ranch in Montana, USA, is this April-May 2012 hosting another Horsemanship Program embracing Buck Brannaman-style horsemanship. Work from the ground up using the ranch's horses, or you can bring your own - all levels of riders are welcome. The program features daily instruction and offers guests a great way to fine-tune their riding skills with McGinnis Meadows' team of experienced horsemen and women.

For more information on horsemanship clinics, visit Top50Ranches.com

Cattle drive vacations don't come much better than the Lazy E-L Ranch in Montana, USA - Top50's newest addition to its family of guest ranch vacations. For the ultimate cattle drive experience, Lazy E-L Ranch offers riders of all levels the chance to experience genuine and authentic western cowboy culture, with cattle work and horseback riding at the fore of its working ranch vacations.

Just outside of Yellowstone National Park near the old cowboy town of Red Lodge, sits the 12,000-acre Lazy E-L Ranch. The 5th-generation working ranch opens its doors to guests wishing to immerse themselves in western cowboy culture, offering working ranch vacations perfectly suited to advanced riders and keen beginners alike. Taking no more than 16 guests at any one time, the working ranch offers intimate horseback riding vacations with a real personal touch. No wonder, then, that the ranch was chosen by Condé Nast Traveler as one of their Top 5 Guest Ranches in the USA.

Steeped in history, Lazy E-L has lost none of its authenticity or its working ranch practices, allowing guests taking working ranch vacations at the ranch to experience the real cowboy lifestyle – not the fabricated kind. This means getting up as early as 6am to head down to the barn to saddle your well-trained ranch horse, before heading back to the cookhouse to plan the day’s cattle work over a hearty breakfast. Each and every morning on your working ranch vacation at Lazy E-L, ride alongside real cowboys as you venture out on thrilling, fast-paced cattle drives, gathering and moving the ranch’s 3,000 head of cattle over 12,000 acres of rolling Montana ranch country to new pastures.

Riding at Lazy E-L ends after the morning cattle drive, allowing both you and your horse to recharge your batteries and relax in the peace and tranquillity of the ranch. Satisfy your appetite back at the cookhouse with a hearty, home-cooked lunch lovingly created by Chef Jesse Montenegro and his team of professionally trained cooks, then spend your afternoons however you choose – whether it’s visiting nearby Yellowstone National Park, exploring the ranch on foot or by mountain bike, fly-fishing for trout in five miles of the West Rosebud River or helping the wranglers doctor cattle. Head to the Lazy E-L Guest Ranch during one of the three Advanced Rider weeks that run throughout the year, and be treated to longer hours in the saddle – meaning even earlier starts and later lunches!

Lazy E-L might be all about the riding and specially cater for keen, advanced riders wishing to get in lots of riding and cattle work on their guest ranch vacation, but that doesn’t exclude younger family members and beginner riders. Scenic trail rides are always available, and the ranch’s team of wranglers provide a gentle, supportive hand to beginner and novice riders, as well as helping more advanced riders improve their horsemanship skills. Children will be shown the ropes and then, if willing and able, included in the morning cattle drives. Those children less interested in cattle work can enjoy arena games, scavenger hunts, horseshoes and many more non-riding activities.

For an authentic, genuine working ranch vacations with an abundance of first-rate riding and cattle work that’s beginners and advanced riders alike - as well as for family ranch vacations - it has to be the Lazy E-L Ranch. The adventure of a lifetime really does start here!

View Lazy E-L's ranch profile on Top50Ranches.com

Family dude ranch vacations don't come much better than at The Resort at Paws Up in Montana, USA. In an age where iPads, X-Boxes and 3D televisions seem to be the centre of our children's worlds, it can be hard to encourage them to enjoy the simpler things in life, and even the most sporty, active and 'outdoors' kids have that favorite TV show they simply can't miss. But on a dude ranch vacation - especially at family dude ranches like Paws Up - sitting in front of the box will be the last thing on their minds.

Paws Up for kids

The Montana dude ranch offers an unbeatable range of activities for all ages that will drag any kid out of bed in the morning, whether taken as part of the Paws Up Children's Program or tackled with Mom and Dad. Let 'em take their pick from all of this...

Outdoor activities
Horseback riding - lessons, cattle sorting and more
Climbing
Mountain biking
Sporting clays
Campouts
Wagon rides
ATV Rentals (guided)
Fly-fishing
Zorbing (pictured below)
Rappelling
Hot-air ballooning
Geocaching
Archery

Water-based activities
Lake water sports
River floating
White-water rafting adventures

Winter adventures
Cross-country skiing Snowmobiling
Snowshoeing

Children's program

The family dude ranch's Children's Program is perfect for children aged four and over, providing supervised, age-appropriate games and activities including:

• Horseback riding (pony rides, arena riding and trail riding)
• Mountain biking
• Hiking
• Fishing
• Nature education
• Wrangler activities
• Wildlife appreciation
• Scavenger/treasure hunts
• Horseshoes
• Badminton
• Pool
• Animal care
• Horse care

The Paws Up "Kids Corps of Discovery" is held seven days a week, will full- and half-day programs available for children aged five to 12. Think trips to a local ghost town, fun in the sun at the Paws Up lake house, authentic ranch experiences and more!

Paws Up for parents

With the kids fully entertained, it's time for Mom and Dad to kick back and enjoy the peaceful tranquility of Paws Up. Whether it's enjoying candlelit dinners, romantic lakeside walks or horseback rides, decadent spa treatments or a dip in the hot tub, adults are guaranteed a wonderful family ranch vacation with as much or as little time with the kids as they please.

As for the sleeping arrangements, parents won't want to leave the luxury 'glamping' tented accommodations with personalized butler service, while the kids will love the luxury camping experience just as much. And if they're too tired to move after a day crammed with adventure? Well, there's always the flat-screen TVs...

For more information on family dude ranch vacations at The Resort at Paws Up, visit Top50Ranches.com

Winter ski holidays are a great way to enjoy the snowy season without getting too cold - and working up an appetite for the all-important apres-ski! And even better when you can combine it with a dude ranch vacation, which is exactly what you can experience at Lone Mountain Guest Ranch in Montana, USA. Catch the last of the snow and winter sun with a dude ranch vacation at this Montana dude ranch's snowy peaks AND save money, to (ski) boot...

Lone Mountain's special winter sun offer for March 2012 is such great value, it's made it as Top50 Ranches' 'Ranch Special of the Month'.

Lone Mountain Guest Ranch:  7-night ski package Special - March 2012

Work up an appetite for Apres-Ski at Lone Mountain this March

 From March 3 to 17, 2012, book a 7-night stay at Lone Mountain Guest Ranch and each guest receives both a FREE pair of Fisher Nordic Touring skis with bindings, and a FREE Yellowstone Wildlife Snowcoach Tour! This incredible offer includes lodging, all meals, access to 85km of Nordic ski trails and 30km of snowshoe trails, a sleigh ride dinner, free skis, a free snowcoach trip into Yellowstone, evening programs and live music.

Valid March 3-March 17, 2012; offer cannot be combined with any other special. Rates start at $2084 for adults

View Lone Mountain's Top50 ranch profile for rates and more information

Ranch specials offer western vacationers the opportunity to focus on what they love on their dude ranch vacation, and thanks to Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge special packages, 2012 promises to offer your best dude ranch vacations yet...

Calling all foodies...

Head to Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge on May 24-28, 2012, for the Culinary Retreat special - the ultimate foodie outdoor adventure! Enjoy a hands-on experience with Averill’s executive chef and his team, learning new western techniques that transfer easily to cooking up a storm in your own kitchen. A blend of culinary retreat and Montana adventure, this special package involves mornings spent in the kitchen and afternoons enjoying the ranch – from horseback riding to sailing and massage. Come night time when you’ve worked up an appetite, feast on dinners with special wine pairings, a happy hour with guest bartenders from the local distillery, plus an evening of beer tasting with the local brewery.

Foodies will love Averill's Culinary Retreat in May 2012

Escape the kids

Want to get away from it all - including the children? Then book Averill’s Adult Only Fall Getaway package on September 2-6, 2012, where you’ll get stuck into plenty of horseback adventures in a quiet, peaceful environment. Think breakfast rides, arena lessons, an extended luncheon ride and guide horseback rides – and when you’ve reached your saddle-sore limits, take to the water for lake cruises and sailing excursions. When you’re not enjoying the packages scheduled activities, simply relax at the pool or explore the shores of Flathead Lake. Outfitters will be on hand for fly fishing, lake fishing, whitewater rafting, massage and more, which you can enjoy alongside other adults. Round off your action-packed days with evenings filled with music around the campfire. Surely this is the only way to enjoy a western ranch vacation?

Sail away from the kids this fall with Averill's Adults-Only package

For more information on these and Averill’s other special packages and to book, click here