Arizona
Rope & Ride at the White Stallion Ranch With Your Grandchild
Program No. 20350RJ
Get ready to rope and ride with your grandchild on a working dude ranch in Arizona! Learn to ride and groom horses, stargaze, sing cowboy songs and more on this Wild West adventure.
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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date.
Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
14 meals (
5B, 4L, 5D
)
5 expert-led lectures
5 expert-led field trips
11 hands-on experiences
3 performances
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Location:
Tucson, AZ
Meals:
D
Stay:
White Stallion Ranch
Activity Note
Ranch check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously). If you arrive earlier in the day, you are welcome to participate in one of the 3:00 p.m. ranch activities. Walking up to 2 miles; mostly even, packed dirt terrain. Line dancing activity.
Afternoon:
Ranch check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously). If you arrive earlier in the day, you are welcome to participate in one of the 3:00 p.m. ranch activities. Walking up to 2 miles; mostly even, packed dirt terrain. Line dancing activity.
Dinner:
At the Ranch.
Evening:
Next, we’ll enjoy country-and-western line dance lessons taught by ranch staff. It is not known exactly where line dancing originated, but many believe it developed from English country dances brought over to America by settlers. Since then, line dancing has been mixed with various styles of music. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Day
2
Trail Rides, Natural Horsemanship Class, Critter Show
Location:
Tucson, AZ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
White Stallion Ranch
Activity Note
Mounting, dismounting, and riding horses (mounting block available); riding about 5 miles; van transportation available for those who don’t wish to ride to breakfast. Walking up to 1 mile throughout the day; packed dirt, mostly even terrain. Elective: morning rock climbing class.
Breakfast:
At the ranch.
Morning:
First thing in the morning each full day, we will have the opportunity to join a rock climbing class (limited to six people, open to both grandparents and grandchildren). Since there is limited space available for each activity, we’ll sign up with our Group Leader beforehand. After breakfast, we’ll meet the horses that we will be riding through the week. We will then set out on our first scenic trail ride. Next, we’ll watch a demonstration on “natural” horsemanship and learn about this effective technique for working with horses.
Lunch:
At the ranch, we’ll dine inside or on the patio (depending on weather).
Afternoon:
We’ll gather in our meeting room for a hands-on session learning to paint followed by a class on making windchimes. Next, we’ll choose between a scenic slow ride or cattle sorting. We’ll then have a target shooting class with instruction from ranch staff.
Dinner:
At the Ranch.
Evening:
We’ll be joined by a local expert who will give us a presentation about the “critters” that live in this desert environment. We’ll also have an opportunity to hold some.
Day
3
Ranch Activities, Leather Tooling, Animals, Wild West Show
Location:
Tucson, AZ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
White Stallion Ranch
Activity Note
Mounting, dismounting, and riding horses (mounting block available); riding several miles. Walking up to 1 mile; mostly even, packed dirt terrain. Elective: morning rock climbing class.
Breakfast:
At the Ranch. Depending on conditions, we may substitute a trailside cookout.
Morning:
Elective rock climbing class. Early before breakfast, we’ll walk to the stables to meet our horses. The Ranch horses are friendly and usually gather round the corral fence for attention. We’ll have the same horses all week and get to know them. We’ll then mount our horses and set out on a trail ride to a beautiful location where we’ll have riding instruction, learn about the area, and have breakfast. We’ll then ride back to the ranch. We’ll choose from several hands-on activities. Since there is limited space available for each activity, we’ll sign up with our Group Leader beforehand. We will gather in the Longhorn Room to do some hands-on leather tooling.
Lunch:
At the Ranch.
Afternoon:
We’ll meet in the Longhorn Room where a local expert will teach us about desert animal behavior. We’ll then choose another of the Ranch’s hands-on activities.
Dinner:
At the ranch.
Evening:
We’ll enjoy a “Wild West Show” on the ranch patio.
Day
4
AZ Sonora Desert Museum, Ranch Rodeo, Star Party
Location:
Tucson, AZ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
White Stallion Ranch
Activity Note
Getting in/out of a van; driving about 60 miles throughout the day, approximately 2 hours total riding time. Walking and standing during field trips; paved and unpaved terrain. Mounting, dismounting, and riding horses (mounting block available). Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day; packed dirt, mostly even terrain. Elective: morning rock climbing class.
Breakfast:
At the Ranch.
Morning:
Elective rock climbing class. After breakfast we’ll hop into a van and ride to Tucson for a field trip to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. A docent will lead our exploration of the exhibits, followed by independent time to see what interests each of us most. The museum exhibits include more than 300 live animal species such as mountain lions, prairie dogs, Gila monsters, hawks, bighorn sheep, and hummingbirds in their natural habitats. We’ll walk on paths through landscapes more more than 1,300 species of plants indigenous to the Sonoran Desert region including desert grasslands, cactus, and desert gardens. Returning to the Ranch, we’ll have some time for swimming or relaxing before lunch.
Lunch:
At the Ranch.
Afternoon:
We’ll choose from a couple ranch activities this afternoon. We’ll then walk to the arena for the Exhibition Ranch Rodeo performed by the White Stallion Ranch staff. The weekly exhibition rodeo has been a Ranch tradition for almost 50 years.
Dinner:
At the Ranch.
Evening:
We’ll walk out to a nearby area where we’ll be able to view the heavens just as the early Native American residents of this area did. Far away from city lights, the stars, moon, and planets are visible with amazing clarity.
Day
5
Art Class, Trail Rides, Cowboy Show
Location:
Tucson, AZ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
White Stallion Ranch
Activity Note
Mounting, dismounting, and riding horses (mounting block available). Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day; packed dirt, mostly even terrain. Materials provided for art class. Elective: morning rock climbing class.
Breakfast:
At the Ranch.
Morning:
Elective rock climbing class. After breakfast, we’ll learn some desert survival techniques to see if we have what it takes to live in this unique landscape.
Lunch:
At the Ranch.
Afternoon:
Next, we’ll have a hands-on art class (materials provided) led by an expert instructor. Using watercolors and ink, we’ll create a little memento to take home with us. We’ll then have some more time to spend with our horses, choosing between a slow or fast trail ride and team penning.
Dinner:
At the ranch. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
We’ll gather around a bonfire for a performance by a talented cowboy singer. Afterwards, prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Day
6
Program Concludes
Location:
Tucson, AZ
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Ranch check-out by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At the Ranch. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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