About the Dames on the Range

So just who are those Dames on the Range? We are a group of rural businesses, all owned or managed by women, partnering to create get-away packages for women, families and groups. As this bounty of operators get to know each other better, we help each other to strengthen and support our local economic communities through Tourism, Agriculture, Environment, Mental/Physical Health and Education while we host special vacation, learning and relaxation opportunities for visitors to this region.

Our mission is to share the culture and heritage of the western lifestyle by inviting guests to learn about the basics and foundation of a sustainable ranch operation, participate in the activities on the ranch wherever possible and provide opportunities to develop a better sense-of-self surrounded by encouragement and confidence.

All of our businesses operate west and south of Calgary, along the eastern slopes of the Rockies past the Old Man River and east into the Porcupine Hills off the Cowboy Trail corridor.

Products and services offered by the Dames include:

• Accommodations at working ranches with home-cooked meals featuring many locally grown produce.
• Interpretive Hikes - including Wildflower Walks, Edible/Medicinal Plant Walks.
• Horseback Riding and Wagon Rides.
• Entertainment/Cowboy Poetry.
• Workshops: Native Plant Gardening, Apothecary, Health and Wellness, Crafting.

And this is what you can do:

• Participate in workshops that will include the expertise of two or more partners and may be located at or near one of the accommodation venues. These sessions may also appeal to local residents as our facilitators provide information that may benefit the entire community.
• Take Ranch Tours that will focus on the environmental aspects of ranch stewardship while sharing the heritage of the ranches attended. Much of the sustainability of ranching relies on the stewardship efforts of those managing the landscape and often goes unheeded.
• Master more skills and test endurance, explore new interests with other novices.
• Wildlife viewing and tracking, birdwatching, stargazing.
• Go shopping for a day in and around the historic town of Nanton or Longview.
• Relax and rediscover the fine art of “napping” or the challenges of quietly reading a book.