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Guest ranching a unique experience
By: SARAH DAVIS, UNL Journalism Student
BURWELL — An open range, a horizon that goes on forever, a scene from an Old West movie — welcome to Nebraska.
Over the past two decades, Nebraska farmers and ranchers have developed an industry that takes advantage of its resources and presents them to people who fantasize about the country lifestyle.
“They have an idea in their head about cowboys riding around and wind blowing in their hair,” said Tammy Rowse, owner and operator of Rowse’s 1+1 Ranch near Burwell. She is one of more than 100 farm or ranch owners in the state who have turned their living into tourist attractions.
Across the state, landowners offer a variety of amenities. Rowse’s ranch, for example, is a working ranch, which integrates visitors into the ranch owner’s way of life. They ride horses, herd cattle, feed animals and see how a rancher lives.
Whether visitors are looking for a place to hunt, a real working ranch experience or a peaceful family getaway, they need not look beyond Nebraska.
As this industry — known as guest ranching — grows, questions about its affordability, economic impact and ability to thrive arise.
Several factors affect the economics of starting a guest ranch. Every ranch must approach guest ranching based on what it can offer and what that ranch needs, said Karen Kollars, the expert on agri-tourism for the Nebraska Department of Travel and Tourism. She works with ranch owners who approach the department interested in starting a guest ranch.
Together, they develop a business plan that includes financial needs and resources, marketing options and what services the ranch can offer.
While guest ranching can be profitable, Kollars said it depends greatly on the services a ranch offers. Simply opening up land for hunting and giving people a place to stay takes less of an investment and is more profitable than offering meals, campfires and activities, Kollars said. What an owner decides to charge also plays a role, she added.
Colleen Hodson, executive director for the Dude Ranchers’ Association based in Cody, Wyo., said prices can vary greatly. She said that throughout Western states, where most guest ranches are located, a six-night stay for two people could cost anywhere from $1,000 to $4,500. Kollars said comparing prices for ranches across the state is difficult because guest ranching in Nebraska is such a young business.
Liability Insurance
The main deterrent in starting a guest ranch for most ranchers is liability insurance, Rowse said.
Kollars agreed: “How can we make it easier on these people to open up their property to recreational activities?”
She said the Department of Travel and Tourism is working with legislators to make insurance less of a problem for people interested in guest ranching. Kollars said lawmakers hope to reduce insurance costs by creating laws that limit landowner liability unless negligence is shown.
States such as Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Kansas already have laws allowing landowners to enter the industry with less trepidation.
“If somebody goes on a trail ride and gets hurt for any reason, you know, society right now is pretty sue happy,” Kollars said. “If they didn’t have insurance, the rancher could potentially lose everything.”
By removing the risk of lawsuits and high insurance costs, Kollars said, ranchers would be more likely to open their property to the public, and the guest ranching industry would grow.
“Do people get rich at dude ranching? No,” Hodson said. “They do this because this is the way of life that they love, and they want to share that with people.”
Accreditation
The Dude Ranchers’ Association offers ranch owners support, ideas, marketing and standards for guest ranching. “We consider ourselves the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval as far as guest ranches go,” Hodson said.
The association verifies that a ranch is truthful in advertising, has a large enough facility to accommodate the number of guests visiting and has clean and well-maintained buildings.
In addition, Hodson said the association requires each ranch to go through a horse safety certification program. She said the association strives to make sure guest ranches are providing patrons a great experience.
“We want to make sure there are no hotels with horses out back,” Hodson said.
Rowse’s 1+1 Ranch is the only ranch in Nebraska that has started the accreditation process for the Dude Ranchers’ Association. While the association has members is states such as Wyoming, Montana and Colorado, Nebraska appears to just be entering the game.
Kollars said that is because agri-tourism within the state really hasn’t been promoted until the past five to seven years. She said although people have gotten their businesses off the ground, they haven’t had the opportunity to organize.
Rowse decided to join the association to gain a larger audience for marketing her ranch. Hodson described the association’s Web site as the online Mecca for travelers looking for guest ranches.
Unique Experience
In addition to working ranches, many landowners offer hunters a place to stay and land for hunting throughout the year. Others offer families an idea of the country life without as much labor. Kollars said some people are just looking for horseback riding, river access, hiking and the enjoyment of the outdoors.
Kollars said the services a ranch provides affect a person’s likelihood to visit that ranch. She said working ranches appeal more to single or married adults ranging in age anywhere from their 20s to 50s who have never seen the country way of life.
On the other hand, she said, families with younger children often prefer ranches that offer more recreational activities.
Kollars, Rowse and Hodson agree that people who visit guest ranches are looking for the same thing: a unique experience.
“I’m wondering if people in eastern Nebraska can picture or understand the fact that all of Nebraska is not like eastern Nebraska or what you see along Interstate 80,” said rancher Kim Lund, operator of Ponderosa Ranch near Crawford.
“People have gone to the amusement park, and they’re like, ‘OK, let’s try something different,’” Kollars said.
While people who visit ranches come from different walks of life, Kollars said they tend to be city-dwellers looking for the chance to reconnect with rural heritage and culture.
“They’re wanting to get away from that hectic way of life.”
Over the past two decades, Nebraska farmers and ranchers have developed an industry that takes advantage of its resources and presents them to people who fantasize about the country lifestyle.
“They have an idea in their head about cowboys riding around and wind blowing in their hair,” said Tammy Rowse, owner and operator of Rowse’s 1+1 Ranch near Burwell. She is one of more than 100 farm or ranch owners in the state who have turned their living into tourist attractions.
Across the state, landowners offer a variety of amenities. Rowse’s ranch, for example, is a working ranch, which integrates visitors into the ranch owner’s way of life. They ride horses, herd cattle, feed animals and see how a rancher lives.
Whether visitors are looking for a place to hunt, a real working ranch experience or a peaceful family getaway, they need not look beyond Nebraska.
As this industry — known as guest ranching — grows, questions about its affordability, economic impact and ability to thrive arise.
Several factors affect the economics of starting a guest ranch. Every ranch must approach guest ranching based on what it can offer and what that ranch needs, said Karen Kollars, the expert on agri-tourism for the Nebraska Department of Travel and Tourism. She works with ranch owners who approach the department interested in starting a guest ranch.
Together, they develop a business plan that includes financial needs and resources, marketing options and what services the ranch can offer.
While guest ranching can be profitable, Kollars said it depends greatly on the services a ranch offers. Simply opening up land for hunting and giving people a place to stay takes less of an investment and is more profitable than offering meals, campfires and activities, Kollars said. What an owner decides to charge also plays a role, she added.
Colleen Hodson, executive director for the Dude Ranchers’ Association based in Cody, Wyo., said prices can vary greatly. She said that throughout Western states, where most guest ranches are located, a six-night stay for two people could cost anywhere from $1,000 to $4,500. Kollars said comparing prices for ranches across the state is difficult because guest ranching in Nebraska is such a young business.
Liability Insurance
The main deterrent in starting a guest ranch for most ranchers is liability insurance, Rowse said.
Kollars agreed: “How can we make it easier on these people to open up their property to recreational activities?”
She said the Department of Travel and Tourism is working with legislators to make insurance less of a problem for people interested in guest ranching. Kollars said lawmakers hope to reduce insurance costs by creating laws that limit landowner liability unless negligence is shown.
States such as Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Kansas already have laws allowing landowners to enter the industry with less trepidation.
“If somebody goes on a trail ride and gets hurt for any reason, you know, society right now is pretty sue happy,” Kollars said. “If they didn’t have insurance, the rancher could potentially lose everything.”
By removing the risk of lawsuits and high insurance costs, Kollars said, ranchers would be more likely to open their property to the public, and the guest ranching industry would grow.
“Do people get rich at dude ranching? No,” Hodson said. “They do this because this is the way of life that they love, and they want to share that with people.”
Accreditation
The Dude Ranchers’ Association offers ranch owners support, ideas, marketing and standards for guest ranching. “We consider ourselves the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval as far as guest ranches go,” Hodson said.
The association verifies that a ranch is truthful in advertising, has a large enough facility to accommodate the number of guests visiting and has clean and well-maintained buildings.
In addition, Hodson said the association requires each ranch to go through a horse safety certification program. She said the association strives to make sure guest ranches are providing patrons a great experience.
“We want to make sure there are no hotels with horses out back,” Hodson said.
Rowse’s 1+1 Ranch is the only ranch in Nebraska that has started the accreditation process for the Dude Ranchers’ Association. While the association has members is states such as Wyoming, Montana and Colorado, Nebraska appears to just be entering the game.
Kollars said that is because agri-tourism within the state really hasn’t been promoted until the past five to seven years. She said although people have gotten their businesses off the ground, they haven’t had the opportunity to organize.
Rowse decided to join the association to gain a larger audience for marketing her ranch. Hodson described the association’s Web site as the online Mecca for travelers looking for guest ranches.
Unique Experience
In addition to working ranches, many landowners offer hunters a place to stay and land for hunting throughout the year. Others offer families an idea of the country life without as much labor. Kollars said some people are just looking for horseback riding, river access, hiking and the enjoyment of the outdoors.
Kollars said the services a ranch provides affect a person’s likelihood to visit that ranch. She said working ranches appeal more to single or married adults ranging in age anywhere from their 20s to 50s who have never seen the country way of life.
On the other hand, she said, families with younger children often prefer ranches that offer more recreational activities.
Kollars, Rowse and Hodson agree that people who visit guest ranches are looking for the same thing: a unique experience.
“I’m wondering if people in eastern Nebraska can picture or understand the fact that all of Nebraska is not like eastern Nebraska or what you see along Interstate 80,” said rancher Kim Lund, operator of Ponderosa Ranch near Crawford.
“People have gone to the amusement park, and they’re like, ‘OK, let’s try something different,’” Kollars said.
While people who visit ranches come from different walks of life, Kollars said they tend to be city-dwellers looking for the chance to reconnect with rural heritage and culture.
“They’re wanting to get away from that hectic way of life.”
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