What to Pack For Vacation at The Bar W Dude Ranch

When my friend Karen (founder of Awesome Women Entrepreneurs and Karen Bate Concepts PR) invited me and fellow members of AWE on a women business owners retreat at The Bar W Dude Ranch in Montana, I knew I couldn’t say no! How could I? I desperately needed some rest and relaxation. And I love being inspired by other women business owners, especially local ones. I was longing to do something different. I’m known for jaunting off to New York City, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Miami on a whim. But, Montana—this was a whole new experience! But, what to pack for vacation at a dude ranch?

Bar W Ranch is the perfect destination to enjoy activities including horseback riding, trap and skeet shooting, square dancing, roping lessons, fly-fishing and serene nature. There’s even an opportunity to compete in your first rodeo!

Vacationing at The Bar W Ranch is truly one of Montana’s most amazing experiences. Owners of the ranch, Dave and Janet Leishman decided to establish Bar W after visiting Montana over several years and comparing the calm and quite life out west to the chaotic, stressfully busy life they had back in Virginia. They haven’t looked back since and they’ve done an amazing job creating packages for those travelers desiring the same type of escape from their day to day.

“Dude” is the original slang term for “city slicker”. Dude ranches began sometime in the 1880s when “city slickers” would move out west and invite their friends to visit their cattle ranches. Someone realized they could make money once the railroads expanded farther into the “wild west”. The word of mouth spread about the success of the business model and the rest is history. Dude ranches started popping up all over in the 1900’s and it’s a tradition that continues today.

The wardrobe for a vacation on a dude ranch is very casual, comfortable and most often times—is country western inspired. Here are the items I recommend packing for a vacation at a dude ranch.

What to Pack: 

• Light waterproof jacket with hood
• T-shirts and long sleeve shirts
• Broken in jeans or leggings for riding
• Shorts and bathing suits
• Riding boots
• Waterproof Hiking boots
• Sneakers
• Socks (at least a pair a day)
• Fleece jacket
• Quilted Vest
• Water shoes (I personally love Keen & Teva)
• Sunglasses and a hat
• Sunscreen and bug spray
• Gloves for riding (for brisk morning & sunset rides)
• Backpack or fanny pack
• Cotton or Fleece Pajamas
• Fuzzy Socks & Slippers (ranches are normally quite cozy & slippers can make your stay feel even cozier)
• Over the Counter Pain Reliever (like Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen)
• Toiletry Kit (Shower gel, Facial Wash, Shampoo/Conditioner, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Mouthwash, Shave Cream, Razor)
• Camera

I had such an amazing time with my fellow Awesome Women Entrepreneurs out in Whitefish, Montana and I can’t wait to go back!

{I’d like to give a huge thank-you to the Bar W Ranch for sponsoring and hosting my trip and sponsoring this post! For more information & to plan your Dude Ranch vacation, visit www.thebarw.com}