Dude Ranch Youth Program - Marble Mountain Ranch

Youth & “Buckaroo” Program At California’s Guest Ranch

At Marble Mountain Ranch we try to encourage whole family participation in our scheduled activities whenever possible. However, we do need to separate skill groups when we have more challenging events that are unsafe for younger groups. We have two intermediate/advanced rides scheduled each week with coinciding rafting trips scheduled opposite these rides. This allows our more experienced riders the opportunity to ride on longer and more skill demanding trails while the rest of their family is enjoying the river. Youth 5 and up can participate in all of our rafting trips and children 3 & 4 years of age can join us on the Wednesday rafting trip.

Buckaroo Programs – for active children aged 3 – 4 years

During our ranch Buckaroo Program, youth aged 3 and 4 participate with our counselor-wranglers in their own age appropriate activities. Buckaroo programs run separate from the adult itinerary. Your buckaroo will join in feeding our small animals, swimming, nature walks, ranch arts and crafts and more. Hands-on involvement in child oriented ranch activities like picking garden strawberries, harvesting a warm chicken egg, or hand feeding a bunny will create memories never to be forgotten. Most of our visiting buckaroos have never experienced the joy of transplanting a berry from vine to mouth without first opening a plastic container! Other activities include picnics & campfire sing-a longs, treasure hunts and orienteering, ranch crafts such as weaving lavender wands, collecting blackberries and fruits and authentic pioneer games.

Before any younger children can ride outside the arena, they must be able to safely control their horse on the trail. The child’s size, strength, coordination, skill and demeanor on horseback are all considered. Children who are not ready to trail ride off the ranch property will ride with a wrangler/counselor in the arena and/or on the ranch property while parents are on the more difficult trails. Sorry, riding “double” is dangerous, and is not permitted. All minors under the age of 18 will be required to wear a riding helmet during horse events.

Baby Sitting During Your Ranch Vacation

Our Buckaroo & Youth Programs are designed for participating children visiting with a paid fare. If you are traveling with an infant that is not mature enough for our buckaroo program, or is not potty trained, you will need to parent share with someone in your party. Give us a call to review the best options for traveling to Marble Mountain Ranch with younger children.

Safety is our first prime directive at the California Dude Ranch!

Travel With Grandchildren Without Competing Technologies

Once you are traveling with an urban raised grandchild, how are you going to compete for attention with a child that is used to sensory saturation from electronic media? In an outdoor wilderness setting with formatted activities, it is easier for city-raised children to step away from digitized computer enhanced realities. One of our favorite comments from a recent child guest was, Wow! This is better than virtual reality!” Here are some additional tips for planning travel with grandchildren. More than just a trip for grandparents and grandchildren, grandparent travel is a shared passion for adventure that focuses attention on the benefits that come from multi-generational experiences. We hope you will join us with your grandchildren and create memories that will last for a lifetime.

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