Dude Ranch Foundation

08/26/2026

We’re proud to kick off our 2026/2027 scholarship recipient spotlights! 🌟

Meet Laci Christensen: Laci is beginning her college journey at Hastings College in Nebraska. Raised at the 4UR Ranch in Creede, Colorado, she has grown up immersed in dude ranching. Laci began working full time at the ranch at just 13 years old, learning firsthand the importance of hard work, responsibility, hospitality, and teamwork. 🐴

In Laci’s words: “Being raised on a dude ranch has shaped who I am today. This scholarship will make a meaningful difference in my ability to pursue higher education while staying connected to the ranching industry. I plan to continue working at the 4UR Ranch during the summers and hope to remain involved in dude ranching while carrying forward the traditions and values that have been such a big part of my life.”

We’re proud to support Laci as she begins this next chapter and helps shape the future of this incredible way of life! 🤠

08/21/2026

COWGIRL Magazine recently featured National Day of the Cowgirl Scholarship recipient Presley Cooper and her dedication to the future of agriculture. 🤠

The article shares how Presley’s experiences in 4-H, FFA, rodeo, and the Western way of life shaped her goal of becoming an agricultural attorney. Through her work, she hopes to protect land and water rights while supporting farmers, ranchers, and agricultural communities.

We are proud to partner with Durango Boots on a scholarship that helps young women like Presley pursue careers that will strengthen the future of the West.

Read the full feature from COWGIRL Magazine:
https://www.cowgirlmagazine.com/durango-boots-celebrates-grit-purpose-and-the-future-of-agriculture/

08/19/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Presley Cooper! 🎉

The Dude Ranch Foundation is proud to join Durango Boots in announcing Presley Cooper as the recipient of the third annual $30,000 National Day of the Cowgirl Scholarship!

Presley is a student at Fresno State, where she is pursuing a degree in Agricultural Business with a minor in Water Studies. With plans to attend law school and specialize in Agricultural Law, she hopes to advocate for agricultural communities and help protect the future of farmers and ranchers.

Presley’s connection to the Western way of life began early—from 4-H and showing livestock to FFA and rodeo. She entered her first rodeo at age 11 and has continued to build on the values of hard work, leadership, responsibility, and resilience that have shaped her journey.

“I am so honored to join the amazing group of girls who are continuing these traditions and making an impact in the agricultural communities. This scholarship motivates me to keep working hard and to represent the values I believe in.”

Learn more about the National Day of the Cowgirl Scholarship: nationaldayofthecowgirl.com

Congratulations, Presley! We are excited to see where your education and passion take you. 🤠

08/13/2026

Some of life's most meaningful journeys begin with a single experience.

For many of this year's scholarship recipients, that journey started with horses, open spaces, and the values they learned through the dude ranch tradition.

Investing in the next generation is one of the most meaningful ways we can preserve the legacy of dude ranching. That's why the Dude Ranch Foundation is proud to support students whose education and future will help carry these traditions forward.

Over the coming weeks, we're excited to introduce our 2026/2027 scholarship recipients and share their inspiring stories.

08/11/2026

Every lifelong passion begins with a first experience.

For many, it starts with meeting a horse for the first time. A gentle touch, a moment of wonder, or a first horseback ride can spark a lifelong appreciation for horses, the outdoors, and the Western way of life.

For generations, dude ranches have introduced young people to values like responsibility, respect, hospitality, and stewardship. Some will simply cherish the memories. Others will grow up to become ranch owners, wranglers, historians, educators, and advocates who help preserve this enduring heritage.

The future of dude ranching begins with moments like these.

🐴 What was your first experience with a horse? Share your story in the comments!

08/05/2026

For more than a century, dude ranches have welcomed guests to experience horses, hospitality, and the traditions of the West.

In celebration of The Dude Ranchers' Association's 100th anniversary, photographer Scott T. Baxter traveled more than 20,000 miles across the American West, capturing the landscapes, people, and enduring traditions that helped shape the dude ranch industry from its earliest days. Produced by the Ranch Preservation Foundation, "The Wrangle" features imagery from dude ranches that have operated for a century or longer and continue to carry this legacy forward.

On display at the Dude Ranch Museum through September 27, "The Wrangle" offers a unique opportunity to experience the people, places, and traditions that have shaped dude ranching for generations.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/Bz5f50ZwKhL

08/01/2026

🏔️ A milestone worth celebrating for Western heritage!

The Dude Ranch Foundation proudly congratulates R Lazy S Ranch on its listing in the National Register of Historic Places. This recognition honors more than historic buildings. It celebrates generations of stewardship, authentic Western hospitality, and the lasting legacy of dude ranching in Jackson Hole.

For decades, ranches like R Lazy S have preserved the traditions, landscapes, and experiences that define the American West. Their addition to the National Register helps ensure that this important chapter of our nation's history will be recognized and protected for future generations.

Congratulations to everyone who has helped preserve this important piece of dude ranching history! 🤠

Read more: https://ow.ly/lcNH50ZvnkY

The most recent valley landmark to gain national recognition for its longevity has done so on a couple different plots of land on the West Bank.

07/29/2026

🤠 The Dude Ranchers' Association is giving one lucky winner the chance to experience an authentic dude ranch vacation!

To celebrate National Day of the Cowboy, the Dude Ranchers' Association has partnered with Durango Boots and Eatons' Ranch to give one lucky winner the chance to experience the traditions and hospitality of a dude ranch firsthand. The prize includes an unforgettable stay at Eatons' Ranch and a fresh pair of Durango Boots to wear on the adventure.

Don’t miss your chance. Entries close July 31st!

Enter here:
https://durangoboots.com/pages/ranch-trip-giveaway

Good luck to everyone who enters! 🍀🐴

Our National Day of the Cowboy Giveaway ends July 31st, and you still have time to enter for your chance to win an unforgettable ranch getaway st Eaton's ranch and a fresh pair of Durango boots to take with you!

Enter today before time runs out!
🔗durangoboots.com/pages/ranch-trip-giveaway

07/25/2026

🏇 For 80 years, Alisal Ranch has welcomed guests to experience the traditions of the American West. Since opening its doors on July 16, 1946, the historic California dude ranch has remained a working cattle ranch where generations of families have gathered to ride horses, enjoy the outdoors, and experience authentic Western hospitality. 🤠

Owned by the Jackson family since 1943, Alisal Ranch continues to preserve a legacy that stretches back more than two centuries, from its early days as part of a Mexican land grant to one of the West's most iconic dude ranches. Congratulations to Alisal Ranch on this significant milestone and on eight decades of sharing the heritage of the American West.

Read more about their 80th anniversary: https://ow.ly/ep9050Zsqqj

Explore the ranch's rich history:
https://www.alisalranch.com/the-ranch/

The 10,500-acre ranch and resort welcomed its first guests on July 16, 1946, when the Alisal Guest Ranch opened for its first summer season with accommodations for up to 30

07/21/2026

The Dude Ranch Foundation is proud to participate in the Blue Star Museums program, a nationwide initiative recognizing the service and sacrifice of America's active-duty military personnel and their families.

While admission to the Dude Ranch Foundation Museum has always been free, we are honored to stand alongside hundreds of museums across the country participating in this special program through Labor Day 2026.

This summer is the perfect time to visit and experience our special photography exhibition, “The Wrangle: 100 Years of Dude Ranching,” along with the museum's collections celebrating the people, horses, landscapes, and traditions that have shaped the Western experience.

Launched in 2009, Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the U.S. Department of War, and museums nationwide, encouraging military families to explore America's rich cultural heritage.