Southern Arizona’s True Ranch Collection Dude Ranches Named Among Best in Country
True Ranch Collection is proud to announce that three of its historic dude ranches have been voted among the best in the United States. White Stallion Ranch and Kay El Bar Guest Ranch ranked second and third, respectively, in the Best Dude Ranch category of the 2025 Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards. And White Stallion Ranch and Rancho de la Osa ranked second and eighth, respectively, in the USA Today 10Best 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Dude Ranch. All three ranches are located in Arizona. To learn more about True Ranch collection or book a stay at one of its ranches, visit https://trueranchcollection.com/.
“It’s a real honor to see three of our six ranches in these awards, including White Stallion in both,” said Russell True, Managing Partner of True Ranch Collection. “It reinforces that we’re getting it right with our brand of dude ranching, which is focused on providing a guest-centered western experience while preserving the history and identity of each of our ranches.”
With rugged mountains and Saguaro National Park serving as a backdrop, White Stallion Ranch offers a year-round, family-friendly western getaway. Members of the True family have stewarded the ranch for 60 years and can be found working in all areas of its operations today. Guests can enjoy outdoor adventures like horseback riding, hiking, rock climbing, shooting, archery and fat-tire electric bike tours, evening entertainment like trick roping and a weekly rodeo, and resort-style amenities like massage and spa services, a fitness center, sport courts, and a pool and hot tub.
The Kay El Bar Guest Ranch in Wickenburg, which was once known as the “Dude Ranching Capital of the World,” has been hosting travelers for more than 100 years and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Amid the cactus forests, slot canyons, sandy washes and rocky ridges of the Sonoran Desert and the Hassayampa River, guests can enjoy horseback riding, hiking, sport shooting, archery and UTV tours, then unwind with a swim in the pool, a soak in the hot tub or a cold drink in the adobe Lodge’s bar.
Located in Sasabe, adjacent to the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, Rancho de la Osa is rich in Southwestern color and culture. It is Arizona’s most historic ranch, featuring an outpost built in 1722 by Jesuit missionaries that now serves as the Cantina, as well as a Spanish-style Hacienda, and having welcomed prominent guests like U.S. presidents, Hollywood actors and famous authors. Guests can enjoy horseback riding, hiking and UTV tours in high-desert grasslands, as well as shooting and archery, or relax by the ranch’s pool.
The Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards are editorially driven with nominations from a diverse set of panelists and Newsweek contributors, and the final list determined by the Readers’ Choice team. Readers then vote over four weeks.
Similarly, the USA Today 10 Best Awards ranches are nominated to a selection of 20 finalists by a panel of USA Today editors and other travel experts, then voted on by visitors to the 10Best website over four weeks.
True family member Russell True founded Ranch Preservation Holdings, LLC, with partner Jaye Wells to preserve and manage the historic dude ranches of the True Ranch Collection. Outside of Arizona, True Ranch Collection also offers authentic western experiences at dude ranches in Wyoming and Montana.
About True Ranch Collection
True Ranch Collection is a selection of historic dude ranches offering guests an authentic western experience. In conjunction with its historic preservation company, Ranch Preservation Holdings, LLC, True Ranch is committed to maintaining the hospitality and heritage of the western dude ranches in its collection. Each ranch in the collection has been revived for the next generation of guests, while staying true to its authenticity, identity and heritage, and committing to keeping the hospitality and traditions of the West alive. Adventure and relaxation in unique western settings await. Learn more at https://trueranchcollection.com/.
PHOTO: Courtesy of White Stallion Ranch
