Trail + Support of the Governor = Win
With a little help from the Governor, The Arizona Office of Tourism is promoting The Arizona Dude Ranch Heritage Trail program, to be housed within the State Historic Preservation Office, a division of Arizona State Parks and Trails.
Governor Doug Ducey recently signed legislation that creates the Arizona Dude Ranch Heritage Trail Program, which provides a framework for highlighting the historical essence that guests can expect at Arizona’s statewide collection of dude and guest ranches.
Quotable. “We’re lucky to have so many great dude ranch and guest ranch options for visitors to choose from in our state,” said Debbie Johnson, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism. “Whether you want to experience working like a cowboy or feel like a pampered guest enjoying luxury accommodations or anything in between, our dude ranches offer it all.”
Some example requirements to earn the Arizona Dude Ranch Heritage Trail designation include:
- A dude ranch must have been in business for at least 25 years;
- Contain at least 1,000 contiguous acres;
- And provide guests recreational activities including horseback riding, hiking, biking or a working cattle ranch experience.
This legislation follows a series of efforts by the Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) spotlighting Arizona’s amazing dude and guest ranches as ideal destinations for travelers seeking beautiful scenery, wide-open spaces and natural settings. Additional efforts include:
- AOT recently released a new video highlighting the people, scenes and experiences awaiting visitors to Arizona’s dude and guest ranches throughout the state.
- AOT is partnering with Local First Arizona to produce a Small Wonders map featuring all Arizona dude and guest ranches. Heritage Trail program participants will receive a special designation on the map.