Wyoming’s Eatons’ Ranch: The Best Dude Ranch In America

Being #1 is a good feeling.

Being #1 in the entire country is a tremendous accomplishment, and one of Wyoming's most famous dude ranches, Eatons' Ranch, has just been ranked the #1 dude ranch in the USA Today 10 Best Reader's Choice Awards.

The ranch is located west of Sheridan in the Bighorn Mountains and is not only one of Wyoming's oldest dude ranches but also the oldest in the country. It has been in the Eaton family since 1879 and is now run by the fourth and fifth generations.

The ranch was started in North Dakota by three Eaton brothers in 1879, and when their friends began visiting for extended periods, it was decided they would start charging guests for room and board to help with incurring costs.

In the early 1900s, the family moved their ranch to northern Wyoming to give their guests more opportunities. The ranch is still located in Wolf, Wyoming, and every summer (June - September), they host hundreds of guests who want to taste the sweet Western lifestyle.

Over the years, the ranch has grown in popularity and size and can accommodate up to 125 guests at one time. The 7,000-acre all-inclusive dude ranch offers families a chance at horseback riding, shooting, fishing, weekly dances, hiking, swimming, and family activities.

USA Today's 10Best is an awards program that has existed since 1999. Over four weeks, the public votes on the best of the best.

Another Wyoming dude ranch, the Brush Creek Ranch near Saratoga, WY, also placed #10 on the 10Best Dude Ranches.