Saddle up for a day at the dude ranch at Brasada
Central Oregon adventures cry out for some horseback adventure. And afterward, you can ease your aching muscles at this resort and lodge's luxurious pool.
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Perched high atop Powell Butte, in a pristine patch of Oregon’s high desert, Brasada Ranch has so much Old West charm that it may well encourage you out of your city slicker comfort zone.
My daughter Daphne, then 7, and I were on the quest for a memorable getaway from the everyday grind. After eating a hearty eggs-and-bacon breakfast, admiring the panoramic view of the Cascade Peaks and rambling around a historic red barn now used for yoga classes, we decided to saddle up for a Wild West-style adventure befitting this land of big sky and tumbleweed.
We moseyed on down to the corral at the Equestrian Center and hopped on a horse for a morning ride around the dude ranch’s 1,800 acres. Be sure to grab a helmet, sunscreen and some advice if you are a green-horn. Otherwise you may find yourself matching wits with a spirited Arabian, as I did.
The plan was to trot around the high ridges and take in some of the views of this lavender- and sage brush-dotted resort. At least that was my plan. My horse, a stunning brown-and-black beauty, had other ideas. She was determined to gallop back to the barn and rest in the shade near her buddies on a scorching hot day. Apparently my attempts at equestrian authority were not that convincing because she kept darting back down the trail at greater and greater speeds. Eventually I decided my boots were made for walking, not horseback riding.
For the record, it was still a fun and unforgettable adventure and Daphne had a much more obliging horsey, a kindly white mare who gave her quite an enjoyable scamper around the ranch. Daphne also enjoyed hand-feeding treats and learning various and sundry names for horse manure like road apples and horse chips. I mostly concentrated on not stepping in them while the guide gently lead them around.
A little let-down upon learning that my childhood Annie Oakley fantasies were never coming true, I decided to hang up my cowboy boots for the day and shimmy into my swimsuit. As the temperature headed upward, we headed over to the waterfall and the lazy river area at the resort’s gob-smacking pool.
How refreshing to finally wash off the dust and regret from the trail. Daphne hurtled up and down the water slide into the deep end of the pool for hours while I sucked down some delish frozen rosé and floated serenely around the endless loop of the lazy river. You can also go fishing under a picturesque train trestle or play golf at Brasada, but the lazy river was my happy place.
After a leisurely afternoon of splashing about, Daphne devoured a double-scoop ice cream cone from the resort’s snack shop and we headed back to our upscale cabin with its tricked-out gourmet kitchen and private hot tub for an early dinner. You can also feast like a king at the main Ranch House, tucking into countrified fare like bison meat loaf, fried chicken and grilled flat-iron steak. But it’s a big bonus for families to be able to eat-in when they feel like it.
Once the sun went down, as legions of wild rabbits popped out of their holes to scamper about the resort’s golf course, we headed down to the ranch’s fire pits to toast some good old-fashioned s’mores. Sitting under a glowing orange sky, watching the flames flicker and sipping on hot cocoa, we had a lovely mother/daughter bonding moment, trading tall tales of the range with fellow guests by the campfire.
Brasada Ranch
Where: 16976 SW Brasada Ranch Road, Powell Butte, Oregon
Details: Rates range from $199 to $1,299 a night; www.brasada.com