Hassayampa River Working Ranch Arizona USA Experience the life at a real working cattle ranch, have a look at the life and work of a cowboy... Spend a great week at a ranch in the desert of Arizona, in the Hassayampa River Wilderness. This family owned ranch has been catering to family and friends for twenty years. Now they are open to the public to share their unique ranch experience in Arizona (near Wickenburg). We have decided to open to the public, the hard work, good times, the beauty of the land and family atmosphere that has drawn these people, so you may all become our friends and experience this rustic lifestyle. The Ranch does day to day cattle work, moving cattle to new pastures, branding late calves and horse activities are involved in all of this work. Cowboy crafts and old fashioned fun are presented with each person joining in as much or as little as their ability or interests allows. Round Up Weeks: Every year in Spring and Fall we have  round up weeks - the week before and after April 1 and October 1 - good riding experience necessary. In April we gather our cattle and brand the calves. During Memorial weekend we make a "clean up", that means we bring in and brand the late born calves. In November we wean the calves and separate them from the cows. Meeting: Wickenburg Airport: Phoenix Transfer: Phoenix by bus/shuttle. Included from Wickenburg Riders: Min 1 riders Max 6 riders Trip Rating

Packages and Options

Click here for updated current rates.

Gratuity: 10 %

Transfer Option:

Arrival at Phoenix before 2 PM or at Wickenburg before 4 PM.
Departure from Phoenix after 2 PM by plane or after noon by rental car.

In May and September we start early to take advantage of the cooler morning hours. We also work in the evenings with a middle of the day rest period or siesta. We have water running in the river for the youngsters to enjoy. Wonderful trails to hike or ride, even moonlight rides at the right times.
Our guests may help us with feeding the horses and cows in the corrals. We meet early in the morning in the kitchen, have a cup of coffee. Then we go to the corrals. There we feed our stallion, the other horses and some cows. After we finished feeding the animals we go back to the ranch house, where Carrol already prepared breakfast for all.
If you prefer to sleep in, no problem. Then you start your day with the breakfast. After breakfast we talk about what we have to do during the day. The "jobs" for the guests are: riding, riding, riding.
We go back to the corrals, we brush and saddle the horses. If our guests like their horses they can ride them for several days. We change horses after a few days, because of the trails are rocky and sometimes also very steep. So it would be too hard for a horse to go all week.
Then we ride out... checking cattle, fences and gates. We bring salt out for the cattle, there are a lot of different things to do. Sometimes you even push cattle...
Early in the afternoon we are back and go to the ranch house, where Carrol has a snack ready for the guests.
Sometimes it's really hot, then we have a "siesta" in the afternoon. you can relax in the guest house, you can go down to the river. Unfortunately the water is low, so you can't swim in the river. But there are some water holes.
Late in the afternoon we go out for another ride. If there are no jobs to do and you want to ride, no problem... We have great trails to explore, with old mines to visit.
After the ride we feed the horses and the cattle. Then you have some time to relax and get rid of all the dust. In the evening we meet in the kitchen for dinner.
You can spend the evening with us in our living room, watching movies, talking. Or you go back to the bunk house to relax there.

 Monthly temperatures in degree Fahrenheit:

TOWN	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEPT	OCT	NOV	DEC
Wickenburg	63-31	68-34	72-37	80-43	90-51	100-59	104-70	101-68	96-60	86-48	73-37	65-31
Phoenix	65-39	69-42	74-46	83-53	92-61	102-70	105-79	102-77	98-70	87-59	74-46	66-40

 

Roy says: "Here is a list of things to bring, 'cause this ain't no disco, just a little ol' cow ranch."

flashlight
long sleeve shirts (cotton)
thin and thick socks
boots for riding
hiking boots or walking shoes
comfortable clothing
bluejeans or khaki type
shorts
bathing suits
jacket (durable, hard shell) 
 
chaps (if you have them)
rain slicker (no poncho)
leather or warm gloves (no mittens)
bandanna
western hat and/or baseball cap
towel and washcloth
personal toiletries and medication
sunscreen and insect repellent
any alcoholic beverages for personal consumption
pocket knife  

You will not have to bring linens or hand soap as that is provided in the bunkhouse arrangements.

is only a guideline for you

Travel documents and Voucher

Flight tickets

Passport

Visa (check with your consulate)

RIDING GEAR

Jeans (we recommend "Wrangler” brand  as they don't have the double sewn, inside leg seam, reducing skin chafing

Riding Boots (if you have them already - don't bring NEW ones!)

Riding helmet  (recommended for all trips)

Riding gloves and Neck Scarf

Hat with Stampede Strings - very important!

Bicycle Shorts - yep! they are great for preventing chaffing and you can even get them with a "bum pad"!

Chaps if you have them

PERSONAL CLOTHING

Medium Weight Jacket (Fall/Winter Only)

Long Sleeved Shirts and  short sleeved T-Shirts

Jeans

Shorts

Underwear and socks

Pyjama

Bag for dirty clothes

Trekking boots/ comfortable shoes

Swimsuit

ADDITIONAL THINGS TO BRING

Personal Toiletries

Insect protection

Personal medications

Sore cream (for the emergency)

Sewing kit

Bandana

Camera and enough extra films and batteries

Sun glasses with strap

Sun tan lotion and lip balm

Average ratings from 3 tour feedbacks (see details below) Horses: (5) Excellent (4) Very Good (3) Good (2) Satisfactory (1) Not Satisfactory Saddle/Tack: Accommodations: Meals: Host/Guide: other Riders: Name Date joe fletcher 6/22/2008 tatiana tarkova 4/30/2008 jean male 3/14/2007

You will live in our rustic, but cozy bunk house with attached porch. It has 3 guest rooms a living room and 2 bathrooms. Our bunkhouse, with hot showers and good beds, is especially welcome at the close of a busy day.

Family style meals are served at the main ranch house. We do not allow drinking alcoholic beverages before riding but some folks may enjoy a drink at the end of the day to relax, but you must bring any alcoholic beverages with you. We do give ice and plenty of coffee, tea, milk and things like lemonade.
If you want anything special, bring it with you.

You will not have to bring linens or hand soap on the working ranch experience, as that is provided in the bunkhouse arrangements.

Live and ride with us and learn a lot about the life at a real ranch.
This place is not a fancy dude ranch! We offer vacation for real cowgirls and cowboys! We do day to day cattle work, moving cattle to new pastures, branding late calves and horse activities are involved in all of this work. Cowboy crafts and old fashioned fun are presented with each person joining in as much or as little as their abilitiy or interests allows. Some just like to enjoy the great outdoors and solitude of the raw beauty of the desert...

Every year in Spring and Fall we have several round up weeks 
Spring Cattle Work:  First 3 weeks in March
Spring Round Up:  During the week before and after April 1 we ride along the river, gather our cattle, bring all the cattle to the house corral and brand the calves.
In May and September we start early to take advantage of the cooler morning hours. We also work in the evenings with a middle of the day rest period or siesta.
During Memorial weekend we make a "clean up", that means we bring in and brand the late born calves.
Fall Round up:  During the week before and after Oct 1 we ride the dry side and put the cattle back on the river pasture.
In October and November we wean the calves, separate them from the cows and send them to the sales.

 

Tack:		Western
Horses:		Quarter horses, paint horses and Tennessee walkers.
Pace:		Slow with trots and canters, approx 5 hrs a day | Walk | Trot | Canter |
Level:		(2.5 to 4 out of 5)    Low Intermediate
Weight:		Max 250 lbs
Riders:		Min 1 riders	Max 6 riders

Live and ride with us and learn a lot about the life at a real ranch.
This place is not a fancy dude ranch! We offer vacation for real cowgirls and cowboys! We do day to day cattle work, moving cattle to new pastures, branding late calves and horse activities are involved in all of this work. Cowboy crafts and old fashioned fun are presented with each person joining in as much or as little as their abilitiy or interests allows. Some just like to enjoy the great outdoors and solitude of the raw beauty of the desert...

Every year in Spring and Fall we have several round up weeks 
Spring Cattle Work:  First 3 weeks in March
Spring Round Up:  During the week before and after April 1 we ride along the river, gather our cattle, bring all the cattle to the house corral and brand the calves.
In May and September we start early to take advantage of the cooler morning hours. We also work in the evenings with a middle of the day rest period or siesta.
During Memorial weekend we make a "clean up", that means we bring in and brand the late born calves.
Fall Round up:  During the week before and after Oct 1 we ride the dry side and put the cattle back on the river pasture.
In October and November we wean the calves, separate them from the cows and send them to the sales.

 

Passports
Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in the chart ; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy (see Contact Addresses).
Passport Note
(a) For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program (see below), passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry.
(b) All travellers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program require individual machine-readable passports. Children included on a parent's passport also now require their own machine-readable passport. Travellers not in possession of machine-readable passports will require a valid USA entry visa.
(c) Passports issued on or after 26 October 2005 will need to have a biometric identifier in order for the holder to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Machine-readable passports issued between 26 October 2005 and 25 October 2006 require a digital photograph printed on the data page or an integrated chip with information from the data page. Machine-readable passports issued on or after 26 October 2006 will require an integrated chip with information from the data page (e-passport).

The US has announced new measures that require all travellers to provide details online 72 hours prior to travel.
ESTA: The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) came into force on 12 January 2009. It is a fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA applications must be submitted at least 72 hours before travel to the USA. Some websites may charge you for the service but you can apply online for free at www.dhs.gov. The granting of an ESTA does not guarantee entry to the USA.

 

New Requirements for Travellers: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport, or other approved document, when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced on 1 June 2009.

For further details about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit the website of the US Department of State: (website: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html).

Visas
Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except:
1. nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa.
Visa Note
(a) Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are not eligible to enter the USA without a visa. (b) All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. (d) To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport, for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days. (e) Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form. Note: Airlines are also required to collect passenger details, including the address of their first night's accommodation in the USA, before they board the aircraft. (f) 2. Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Protected Person, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. A passport which states holder has right of abode or indefinite leave to remain in the UK does not qualify for visa free travel. (g) A visa does not expire with the expiry of the holder’s passport. An unexpired, endorsed visa in an expired passport may be presented for entry into the USA, as long as the visa itself has not been cancelled, is undamaged, is less than 10 years old and is presented with a valid non-expired passport, provided that both passports are for the same nationality. (h) Nationals of countries not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Types of Visa and Cost
Tourist, Business, Transit and Student: US$131.
Validity
Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally six months; there is, however, no set time.
Applications to:
Embassy or consulate (see Contact Addresses).
Working Days Required
Usually five after interview. Some cases may take up to 12 weeks – check with embassy/consulate.

Passport Required?
British	Yes
Australian	Yes
Canadian	Yes
USA	N/A
Other EU	Yes
Visa Required?
British	No/2
Australian	No
Canadian	No
USA	N/A
Other EU	1
Return Ticket Required?
British	Yes
Australian	Yes
Canadian	No
USA	N/A
Other EU	Yes

This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult the embassy or consulate for updated info.