I went online last month because I needed some last minute vacation ideas, and I began searching for an unique all inclusive family vacation. I happened to come across a very interesting website for CLEAR CREEK DUDE RANCH. Since they are in a sparsely populated area, it is the perfect getaway in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Here, they offer horseback riding and much more in vacation packages for the entire family.
dude ranches
I had not ridden a horse since I was a teen, and my wife and two children had never ridden at all before. We all said ‘What the heck?’ let’s try something new. So rather than go to the beach or lake like we usually do, we decided to see if we could rustle up some horses in the Great Smokey Mountains of North Carolina.
We set an early alarm, packed the car, and headed west towards the NC mountains before dawn. As we drove through the mountains we were treated to some breathtaking views. We arrived just before noon, and the view from the front porch of the main lodge at Clear Creek Guest Ranch was equally impressive. After checking in, one of the friendly staff members escorted us to our cozy and comfortable cabin, and we had just enough time to unpack our gear before heading back up to the main lodge to eat.
blue ridge mountains
The food delicious, and there was more than enough for even the heartiest of appetites. It was pretty neat to have the food served family style in the middle of our big round table. All of the mouth watering food was in big bowls on a ‘Lazy Susan’ making it quite convenient for the entire family.
After we had eaten our fill and relaxed for a spell in the western style lodge, one of the many friendly ‘wranglers’ at the Dude Ranch helped us pick out our horses for the 90 minute afternoon ride through some of the most pristine and scenic trails the Appalachian Mountains have to offer.
Later that afternoon we treated ourselves to a relaxing massage in the heated jacuzzi as well as a refreshing dip in the pool. The views from both the pool and jacuzzi were quite spectacular.
Sitting in the big comfy chair near the fire in the Main Lodge later that evening with an aperitif in one hand and a good book in the other was the perfect ending to a perfect day.
summer vacations
There was an abundant variety of activities to do at CLEAR CREEK DUDE RANCH. Not only did we ride our horses on many of the other trails at the ranch, but we mined for gems, played golf, video games, pool and ping pong. We also fished for trout, visited local craft shops and occasionally helped some of the other guests with their jigsaw puzzles. On our last day at the dude ranch we even took part in a rodeo!!!
It was awesome, and we didn’t want to leave the beautiful and friendly confines of the Clear Creek Dude Ranch, but we took solace in the fact that we will most definitely pass this way again.