Ranch Brand Book

Working ranch vacations

Every ranch on Brand Book is sorted by how much of the real work guests do. These are the 59 where the work is part of the week: 17 where you ride out with the crew to move, sort and brand cattle, and 42 more where the work is there if you want it.

The work follows the cattle, not a booking calendar. Brandings tend to fall in spring and gathers in fall, so if working cattle is the point of the trip, ask the ranch what will be happening the week you go. What the days are actually like is in what a working ranch week is really like.

Filter working ranches by state, month or stay length
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  • Working
  • Family
  • Luxury

Dots mark each ranch's nearest town. Pinch or use + and − to zoom. Tap a dot to see the ranch.

Working ranches at a glance

You work cattle
17
Work on offer
42
Short stays OK
32
States
14

You work cattle 17

The work is the week. Guests ride out with the crew to move, sort, gather and brand.

Riders on horseback beside a herd of black cattle on open grassland.Photo: Paintbrush Adventures (Barron Ranch)
Working ranch

Absarokee, Montana

Paintbrush Adventures (Barron Ranch)

Stillwater River cattle and sheep ranch offering flexible stays built around ranch chores.

Hands-on cattle work

Season
Year-round
Ages
Ask the ranch

Good to know Days are tailored to each guest, so cattle work depends on what's happening

  • Cattle work
  • Fly fishing
  • Trail riding
More about this ranch: Paintbrush Adventures (Barron Ranch)Website for Paintbrush Adventures (Barron Ranch) (opens in a new tab)

Ranch work on offer 42

A ranch week with the work there if you want it, alongside trail rides and everything else.

A herd of horses running across a sagebrush valley below bare hills.Photo: Latigo Ranch
Family ranch

Kremmling, Colorado

Latigo Ranch

Latigo Ranch brand: A letter R with a short foot, above an arch

Kremmling ranch with twice-daily rides, a Friday cattle roundup and winter Nordic trails.

Ranch work available

Season
Jun – Sep, plus winter
Ages
All ages; 18+ late

Good to know The cattle roundup is an alternative to that day's rafting trip

  • Cattle work
  • Family programs
  • Fly fishing
More about this ranch: Latigo RanchWebsite for Latigo Ranch (opens in a new tab)
A rider on horseback among saguaro cactus with mountains behind.Photo: Tanque Verde Ranch
Luxury ranchFamily ranch

Tucson, Arizona

Tanque Verde Ranch

Tanque Verde Ranch brand: An R and a C separated by a slash

Tucson resort ranch by Saguaro National Park with daily rides, a spa, and a kids program.

Ranch work available

Season
Year-round
Ages
Kids program 4-12

Good to know All-inclusive covers lodging, meals, riding, hikes and the kids program; spa, private lessons and alcohol are extra

  • Family programs
  • Horsemanship
  • Hot tub
More about this ranch: Tanque Verde RanchWebsite for Tanque Verde Ranch (opens in a new tab)

Common questions about working ranch vacations

What is a working ranch vacation?
A ranch stay where you help with the ranch's real work on horseback: moving, sorting and branding cattle, and checking fences and water. Of the 111 ranches on Brand Book, 17 put guests in that work and 42 more offer it as a choice. The rest are trail riding and ranch life without the cattle.
Where can you go on a working ranch vacation?
The 17 ranches here where guests work cattle are in 7 states: 4 in Montana, 4 in Wyoming, 2 in Arizona, 2 in California, 2 in Nebraska, 2 in New Mexico and 1 in Oregon. Counting the ranches where work is on offer, 14 states have at least one.
Can you do a working ranch vacation on a long weekend?
Often, yes. 32 of the 59 ranches here take stays of four nights or fewer, and 12 of those are ranches where guests work cattle. The cattle keep their own calendar, though, so a short stay may not land on a branding or a gather.
Are there adults-only working ranches?
Yes. 5 of the ranches here are adults-only or run adults-only weeks: Kara Creek Ranch, Rowse's 1+1 Ranch, Hunewill Guest Ranch, Triple Creek Ranch and Western Pleasure Guest Ranch. Many others set a minimum age for cattle work even when children are welcome on the ranch.