The Phoenix area is a hotbed for golf and gorgeous scenery. From the week the city is on display for the Waste Management Open, to the climate conducive to near year-round play, you won’t need to go far from the city center to find any number of attractive options to tee it up. However, if you want to venture off the beaten path a bit, Rancho de los Caballeros, which sits 75 miles northwest of Phoenix, offers one of the only active dude ranch getaways in the state, complete with golf, spa, and a myriad of other activities to melt away your stress and help make memories that last a lifetime.
After a quick flight to Phoenix, your Rancho de los Caballeros chariot awaits to take you and your party the hour-and-a-half drive to the resort. On your route, you pass through downtown Wickenburg, a historic mining town that is now home to about 8,000. Named for Henry Wickenburg, this area is now known as the team-roping capital of the world for its multiple rodeo venues and warm climate that draws ropers from colder northern states during the winter months.
Legend has it, the town’s namesake had been living in Peeples Valley in 1863 when he took a prospecting trip to the Harquahala Mountains. Having found nothing in the Harquahala range, Wickenburg became interested in a prominent ledge west of the Hassayampa River. Although his fellow prospectors didn’t share the same enthusiasm for the location, Wickenburg remained convinced the ledge offered promise for a potential gold windfall.
Wickenburg eventually returned to the site alone, this time finding evidence of gold. When he showed the samples to fellow prospectors, they agreed to return to the site. This time they were impressed, and together they filed a location notice for the mining claim, which they called the Vulture.
Exactly how that name was applied to the mine, and to the mountains is up for debate, as Wickenburg told multiple versions of the story over the years. According to one version, Wickenburg had seen a vulture perched nearby while he was prospecting the area; according to another, he shot and killed a vulture perched near the location and then discovered the valuable ore samples when he went to inspect his kill. The story only adds to the charm of the area, which features a quaint downtown where time seems to slow down.
As you enter the ranch, you are quickly met by a feeling of peace and serenity as you take in the sights and sounds of your upcoming stay. After an easy check-in, guests head to one of multiple guest casita options like the Maricopa Suite or a Bradshaw Mountain Room. The Maricopa Suite offers a patio, fireplace, and even a Murphy bed for additional guests or children. The Maricopa also offers a small kitchen, and the bathrooms feature spa tub and showerheads with water pressure that will blast any ranch dust right off your body. The Southwestern décor only adds to the vibe as you settle in.
The main lodge will be your epicenter for activities while at the ranch. Staff is on duty 24/7 to answer any questions, or get you squared away for anything you might want to do while on property.
Although there is just the single golf course at the ranch, conditions are sublime due to the unusually low number of rounds per year. The fairways are like carpet and greens are soft, well-manicured, and roll as pure as the gold once mined near the resort. Fall is the perfect time for a golf visit to Rancho de Los Caballeros, not only because the weather is stupendous for golf, but the agronomy team overseeds the course, making conditions plush from opening tee to No. 18 green. Los Caballeros Golf Club also has one of the most stunning driving range views you will ever encounter, with panoramic looks at the Sonoran Desert and Bradshaw Mountain range in the distance.
The opening hole at Los Caballeros offers those same mountainous views in the distance and feels a little more parkland-style than desert with the driving range and 10th fairway to your right. The emerald fairway draped across the terrain is a welcoming sight as you embark on your golf excursion across the Sonoran landscape.
Some of the other highlights of the outward nine include the gorgeous par 3 third hole, which plays significantly uphill and places club selection at a premium. Stop once you reach the green, turn and take in the change in elevation as you look back at the tee and the mountains in the distance.
No. 5 is another elevated tee that really allows the views to flex their muscles as you fire a tee shot down to the green grass below. This fairway is partially blind as you play across a corner of tree-lined desert, so pick a line and trust it. The green is reachable in two, but, as many of the putting surfaces at Los Caballeros, it is elevated significantly from the fairway, so be mindful to add plenty of extra yardage.
One of the signature holes at Los Caballeros is the second par 5 of the opening nine. No. 7 is one of the tighter holes on the property, with Vulture Mine Rd. running all down the right from tee to green. A good tee shot leaves a decision to make … go for the green in two or lay up short … this seems simple, but a large water feature that narrows the layup zone makes this much easier said than done. Keep your ball out of the water and off the road to the right, and a par or better is possible. Rinse one or hit it out-of-bounds, and the challenge has just begun. This is a quirky hole design, but one of the most beautiful of this par 73 layout.
The back nine offers more views and a little more architectural personality. After the 10th hole which runs parallel to No. 1, just on the opposite side of the driving range, players tackle the downhill par 4 11th, which offers a great opportunity for a birdie, playing at just 357-yards from the tips.
No. 12 is another stunning par 3 that plays downhill to a green that runs from back to front. Missing long can lead to a near impossible up-and-down attempt, so a more conservative shot to the middle of the green might make the most sense.
Of the five par 5s at Los Caballeros, No. 13 is clearly the most demanding. A white-knuckle 605-yard ride, this hole drops in elevation from the teeing area to the fairway, then slowly rises back to the green complex, which is elevated into a natural amphitheater of native vegetation. Rumor has it one of the only people to ever play the course and reach this green in two was the great John Daly … so it would be fair to say this hole plays as a three-shot par 5 for mortal players.
The final four holes at Los Caballeros have the potential to send you home with some confidence should you navigate them with solid course management. No. 15 is an uphill par 3 that plays as a short-to-mid-iron for most, with the table-topped green sitting above the tee and making for difficult chip shots should tee shots end up wayward. The green is deep from front to back, so be mindful of pin placement when selecting your weapon of choice.
No. 16 is a long par 4 that parallels the new upgraded resort style pool. You will see it to the right of the landing area, which is also guarded by a small pond. From there, a long iron will remain for most players, as the hole cards at almost 450 yards from the back tee box.
When it comes to fun finishes, it’s hard to beat back-to-back par 5s. No. 17 and 18 both play well over 500 yards, but with well-played shots, can lead to birdies and heading back to the clubhouse with a reason for celebration.
The layout doesn’t seem to play very long at face value by just looking at the scorecard. You will notice a lot of sub-400-yard par 4s, which are manageable, but the par 5s even the playing field, accounting for 2,800 yards of the 7,088-yard routing. This also makes the course fun and entertaining throughout, offering plenty of chances for birdies. Overall, it is one heck of an enjoyable round of golf that players won’t forget.
If you should choose to get off property for a couple hours, there are some options in downtown Wickenburg. There are some shops to nose around, the historic Saguaro Theatre, which offers a chance to catch a movie, and several local bars like Mecca and La Cabaña. La Cabaña was a true taste of local flair, with wood-grain walls, bar top and décor that will make you feel like you stepped out of a time machine into the 1970s.
Day two at the Ranch was another filled with morning golf followed by lunch at the Club Grill. A cold SanTan Brewing Juicy Jack IPA on draft or a signature Prickly Pear Margarita is a great way to enjoy the open-air patio and the wonderful mountain views. For a quick bite to fuel up for afternoon activities, go for a light Cobb salad or turkey western club.
A must while at the ranch is the Sonoran Desert horseback trail ride. As you approach the stables, you are greeted by over 100 horses, many of which are traded back and forth with another ranch in Wyoming as the seasons change. Wranglers match you with a steed based on your size and skill level riding. There is also a viewing platform perched above the corral that is perfect to snap some photos and video of these beautiful animals before you mount up for your ride.
The trail makes a 90-minute loop that begins trotting through the property and then through a gate out into the desert. There are a few gradual elevation changes, but nothing that would make a beginner nervous. One wrangler leads and one follows, keeping you at ease as you enjoy the scenery. Jake, the horse I was atop, is a beautiful mount, with a flowing mane that gracefully glistened in the autumn sunlight as we plodded along the weathered trail.
Along the trail, we saw wildlife in abundance, from jackrabbits, lizards and various species of birds to a lone coyote, eyeing us from atop a cactus-strewn outcropping. While the wranglers are there to keep you safe, I couldn’t help but feel an exceptional appreciation for those frontiersmen that navigated this rugged terrain during the brief Arizona gold rush of the 1860s. The natural flora in the region is dense and jagged off the trails, and one can only imagine traversing it on horseback with limited resources. A trail ride is an exceptional way to spend an afternoon while at the ranch, and worth every minute of your time as you watch the sun slowly lower into the mountainous horizon.
For beginners, the trail ride is a perfect day in the saddle, but if you are more experienced or want to feel a little more adrenaline, the ranch also offers a bevy of other experiences that will keep your spurs jingling. Corral lessons, roping lessons, private rides, team penning and even barrel racing classes are available to book while you’re on property.
After finishing up a trail ride or afternoon of roping, there is one more equine experience you simply cannot miss if you spend a few days at the ranch. The evening horse run is a must see while on property and is a truly awe-inspiring sight. After their day in the corral, the 100-plus horses are released and run to a meadow where they graze and stay for the night. Gates are closed to traffic, but guests can stand near the fencing and watch as the horses make the run. The ground rumbles as the over four hundred hooves kick up dust on their way by, and you can truly feel the power of each animal as they are herded through the property by wranglers. Don’t forget your phone or camera to capture some shots of this once-in-a-lifetime close encounter.
If riding or roping isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other things to enjoy at the ranch. Tennis and pickleball are available near the main lodge, archery and skeet shooting are also fun activities, and other opportunities vary by season, but horseshoe and rock painting classes were options while we were at the Ranch.
The pool is also a great spot to post up for an afternoon. Recently renovated, this area offers fun in the sun most of the year, with a main pool, lap pool and recovery pool (spa). Food and drink are available while lounging, and cabanas are also available should you want to relax in the shade or have a little more privacy for your party. The roasted garlic poblano hummus is a light option for a snack, or if you want something a little more substantial, try a flatbread pizza paired with a Malibu rum-based Tropical Sunset. You also have a golf course view while relaxing, so you can enjoy your beverage and watch as players navigate the par 4 16th hole just beyond the edge of the recovery spa.
Dining at Rancho de los Caballeros is sublime. Of course, you can snack by the pool or catch lunch after golf at the Club Grill. But for fine dining, dinner at the main lodge is a must. You can belly up to the bar at the Los Cab Saloon before dinner and let barkeep Drew make you a delicious margarita or pour you an ice-cold draft to prime yourself for your upcoming meal. Gorgeous views of the Bradshaw Mountains are visible from the saloon, and on fall evenings you can watch the moon rise over the desert floor just as you head to the main dining area for dinner.
The menu in the main dining room is massaged by season, with dishes that are packed with flavor and visually stunning. A flatbread of the day is a great starter that rotates with vibrant ingredients. A barbecue chicken was on the menu the evening we dined in the main lodge, and the crispy crust was a wonderful vehicle to deliver the grilled chicken, mozzarella, and tangy barbecue sauce. Certified Angus steaks are a star of the show, as after all, it is a ranch. A petit filet, strip or ribeye are all great choices, but the hanger steak is a personal favorite cut that is packed with flavor. All steaks come with a truffled herb salad and some thick cut frites. Don’t forget to add a signature steak sauce or black and blue cheese fondue to kick the flavor profiles into overdrive.
If steak isn’t your thing, there are seafood options like the pan seared salmon, or go with the chicken which comes with sweet potato puree, broccolini, garlic chips and a sweet honey glaze. There is even a vegan option in the lion’s mane steak, which is a tamari brushed lion’s mane mushroom with creamy risotto, grilled asparagus, vegetable stir fry and miso brown butter. Pair any of these entrées with a bottle of wine from their extensive list, for example, the 2018 Quintessa Cab would pair wonderfully with any of the above dinner selections.
Activities, dining and accommodations at Rancho de los Caballeros are all top of the food chain. But the one thing you will notice while on property is the incredible customer service and attention to detail. Some staff live on property, and many are from places around the world like South Africa or even Transylvania. Just chatting with those from abroad makes every conversation with staff interesting and engaging. They truly make all guests feel special.
Rancho de los Caballeros is one of the most unique properties in the country. For those that fancy desert golf, the course is worth the price of admission. The other adventurous opportunities, dining, beautiful Sonoran desertscape and tranquil aura, make this a destination you don’t want to miss when planning your immersive western lifestyle getaway.
Rancho de los Caballeros
1551 South Vulture Mine Road
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
928-684-5484
For more information on a visit to Rancho del los Caballeros, visit www.ranchodeloscaballeros.com