Editor's note: The following is advertiser-support content from Traveler's Essential Park Guide, Spring 2018.

Dude ranches have been showcasing Western landscapes in national parks, and their associated experiences, for generations of families, many who come back year after year after year to relive the experience. And why not? These typically week-long vacations revolve around trail rides that literally carry you into these marvelous settings. And that day in the saddle is followed by a hearty meal that might feature Citrus Roasted Half Chicken, Porcini Mushroom Risotto, or a classic Buffalo Tenderloin. At day’s end, you’ll settle into a soft, warm bed in a cabin that’s rooted in the setting.

With some ranches closing in on a century of welcoming guests, it’s not a lie to say the industry literally grew up with the National Park System. So intertwined are the two that there’s almost a symbiotic relationship between them. True, most dude ranch vacations feature all-inclusive ranch stays. But there are ranches out there that relish and promote their proximity to national parks, places such as Goosewing Ranch with close proximity to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks in Wyoming, or the White Stallion Ranch that sidles up to Saguaro National Park in Arizona.

Here’s a look at several dude ranches that can connect you with a national park when you want the best of both experiences—ranch life and a sampling of America’s best places.

Geronimo Trails Ranch in Winston, New Mexico, in the Black Range Mountains. The sun provides the electricity and cell service is an hour’s drive away. Its untouched country with high meadows, archaeological sites, and you’ll see it all from the backs of gentle horses. You’ll eat well after a day in the saddle with ranch-style cooking and outdoor barbecues, and the skies are not cloudy all day. With only four guest cabins, it’s intimate and you’ll become part of the family and ranch-life.

There is a place in northern Montana where days are spent on trial rides or sharpening skills barrel racing or maybe simply fishing. Visitors to the Bar W Guest Ranch also have access to mountain bike trails and relaxing on evening wagon rides that culminate with a cookout. For some, helping with a cattle drive might be on your schedule. For all, rides high up into the mountains and through the pine forests are daily adventures. The 3,000-acre ranch is not far from the Canadian border... and it’s also less than an hour from Glacier National Park.

Only 2.5 hours from the Grand Canyon and located in the heart of cowboy country, the Stagecoach Trails Ranch is dedicated to providing you with the best dude ranch vacation you can find. The staff has worked hard to create a special, friendly atmosphere where you can get a glimpse into the Old West while enjoying the beautiful northwestern Arizona desert.

The Hideout Lodge & Guest Ranch in Shell, Wyoming, is a 300,000-acre working cattle, riding and fly-fishing ranch. This upscale all-inclusive quality ranch is located 60 miles east of Cody and Yellowstone National Park. Here you’ll focus on riding, horses, and respectful horsemanship. There’s a nice mix of quarter horses and mustangs for all levels of riders. A day trip to Yellowstone is the perfect way to spend a day out of the saddle.

When considering a dude ranch vacation, be sure to look for the establishment’s endorsement from the Dude Ranchers’ Association. This organization, which arose from a meeting in 1926 in a Bozeman, Montana, hotel room between cattle ranching and railroad interests, doesn’t take membership lightly. Rather, ranches are evaluated for two years on everything from their lodgings to how they care for their horses before they’re granted membership. Today, only about 100 ranches sprinkled through the Western United States and one Canadian province have qualified for that distinction.