Melora Koepke

I arrive at Price Canyon Ranch just as the sun is setting behind the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona. Half a dozen riders are ravenously tucking into ranch-raised flatiron steaks as I sit down across from the head wrangler, Randy Barnhart. I expect questions about my riding experience, but he just grins and asks if I’m ready to join them on the morning ride. I say, yeah, trying not to sound too thrilled. I’m here to work on the ranch’s monthly cattle drive.

Price Canyon runs over 300 head of Texas longhorns, and the idea here is that guests ride with the cowboys, not vice versa. “People used to dude ranches think that I’ll just ride ’em around in circles,” says Randy. “But I’ve got work to do and I need riders to help me do it.” Read article.