Forget Yellowstone, Visit California's North Sierra Ranch Between Redding And Lake Tahoe For Cowboy-Style Fun

We've all been there — watching and wishing we were one of the TV stars from "Yellowstone" as they show off yet another fresh set of wrangling, reining, and lassoing skills. We wonder how they make it look so easy, and secretly envy how good they look in their cowboy getups. Yet, there's no reason to be jealous when you can book a stay at Greenhorn Ranch, where you can fully immerse in the same Wild West lifestyle that made "Yellowstone" so cool.

The all-inclusive dude ranch welcomes guests to try their hand at a wide range of cowboy adventures, from horseback riding to skeet shooting. Leisurely pastimes also await on the grounds, including horseshoes, cornhole, and frisbee golf. The ranch is nestled in the Lost Sierra Mountains, whose rugged landscape was described by a previous ranchgoer as "lush, open, and alive with quiet beauty" on Google. According to another guest, the ranch is perfect for those "looking for a throwback to a time when life moved a little slower."

Green Horn Ranch offers guided trail rides on geldings and mares, which are led by expert wranglers. "You don't have to be a good rider or ever ridden before," assured one previous rider on Tripadvisor. In fact, the rides at the ranch are suitable no matter if you are a novice or more advanced rider. What's more, the rides lead to picturesque spots along creeks and to alpine meadows. If you want to participate in rides that include loping, trotting, or cantering, you'll first have to complete a riding assessment. Young children can also join in with lead-arounds, horse grooming, and wagon rides.

Continue your adventures at the ranch with e-bike tours. Ever prepared, the ranch provides the electric bikes and helmets. The rides are led by expert guides, who accompany you down forested trails during 1- to 2-hour tours. If you prefer your adventures on foot, hit up one of the trails in and around the ranch. This time, you can explore on your own, using the ranch's brochure and markers to navigate short trails such as the "City Slicker" trail, or longer ones such as the "True Grit" trail.

You can also practice your pulls at the ranch's skeet shooting range. "The skeet shooting activity was awesome," wrote one guest on Tripadvisor. Indeed, the ranch provides all the tools of the trade, including the shotguns, ammunition, and clay pigeons. If you prefer aiming with bows and arrows, the ranch also has archery ranges, where you can shoot at bales of hay or animal-shaped targets for a bit of realism.

Some prefer staying at dude ranches that focus mostly on riding horses, such as Crazy Horse Ranch, a dude ranch one hour from San Bernardino. Yet, Greenhorn Ranch isn't so stripped down. Evenings come alive with karaoke, line dancing, and sing-alongs by the campfire. There are also family movie nights and paint-and-sips. You can book a room in the ranch's elegant 12-room lodge, or opt for a cozy cabin. One choice is the Creekside Cabin Suite, which is suitable for a couple and has plush bedding and a porch swing,

All there is left to do after booking your room is to choose your all-inclusive package. The most basic is the 'bunk and grub' package, which includes access to the ranch's facilities, evening entertainment, plus breakfast and dinner. The 'stay and play' package also has one trail ride and one adventure per day, while the 'grand adventure' package offers a choice between one trail ride per day or two adventures. All of the packages permit guests to hike in the forest. As a note, activities are not included on your arrival or departure day.

Greenhorn Ranch is also set up for leisure. It has a bar, a pool table, and a swimming pool, too. You can also fish in the ranch's pond, which is stocked with trout. If you have a hankering for more outdoor adventures that neighbor Greenhorn Ranch, take a drive to Plumas National Forest, an underrated national forest that rivals Lake Tahoe. If you're also curious about the Tahoe National Forest, then Sierra City, a secret California town hidden in the Sierra Mountains, provides a good jumping-off point.