NEW YORK, November 21, 2000 - Summer 2001 is closer than it seems so it's time to start planning that family vacation now. Parents in search of an educational element to add to the trip mix should consider a Wild West Adventure that brings you back to the days of the late 1800s - rodeos, square dancing, horseback riding and campfires, along with today's creature comforts - swimming pools, hot tubs, comfy cabins and supervised children's programs. GORPtravel.com, the leading Internet site dedicated to outdoor recreation and adventure travel, has the lowdown when it comes to dude ranch getaways, offering dozens of ranch options throughout the United States that provide a full range of outdoor activities as well as friendly hospitality, expert instruction and hearty and wholesome ranch cooking.

According to GORP.com's family expert Alice Cary, there are some important items to consider when planning a family dude ranch vacation. In additional to having an idea of travel dates and activities for the family to enjoy, parents should also take into account the following questions:

Do you have a specific place you'd like to visit, or a type of terrain you'd like to explore? Mountain vs. desert, for instance?
Do you want organized activities for your children? What ages are they? Note that programs have various age restrictions and weight limits.
How experienced are the horse riders in your family and what type of riding does each member envision?
What type of accommodations and meals do you prefer? Fancy or more home-style?

Would-be wranglers can choose from ranches scattered throughout the west from Arizona to Montana and Oregon to Wyoming, with names like the Lazy K Bar, the Flying L and the Double Diamond X. Most offer discounted youth and off-season rates and all provide a highly personalized and distinctive experience, thanks to guest capacities as low as 20.

A sampling of the most popular dude ranch vacations available at www.gorptravel.com or by calling 800-444-DUDE (3833) include:

Horseshoe Canyon Ranch - Jasper, Arkansas: $630-$999 adult/$342-$460 child weekly from March 18 through November 4, 2001. Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is located on 350 beautiful acres, surrounded by sandstone cliffs, in the heart of Arkansas' Ozark Mountains at an elevation of 2,300 feet. Capacity: 46.
Price includes accommodation, meals, children's program, canoeing (in-season), horseback riding program, trip to Branson (six-day package), evening program, maid service and all other ranch facilities and activities.

Triangle C Ranch - Dubois, Wyoming: $1,150-$1,450 adult/$500-$700 child (ages 3-5)/ $1,050-$1,350 child (ages 6-12) weekly from May 28 through September 2, 2001. Just 73 miles from Jackson Hole and 30 minutes from Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, the Triangle C Ranch is located in the Shoshone National Forest at an elevation of 7,800 feet. Capacity: 50.
Price includes accommodation, meals, children's program, horseback riding and instruction, fishing and lessons, evening program, maid service, cookouts, square dancing, sightseeing, and use of ranch recreational facilities.

Aspen Canyon Ranch - Parshall, Colorado: $1,295 adult/$650 child (ages 3-6)/$800 child (ages 7-16) weekly from June 3 through September 29, 2001. Aspen Canyon Ranch straddles the Williams Fork River Valley, a mountainous area heavily forested with aspen and pine. At an elevation of 8,400 feet, the site is an old settlement at the river's crossing of the original County Road. Capacity: 35.
Price includes accommodation, meals, children's program, horseback riding and instruction, fishing, evening program, daily maid service, and all ranch activities.

Lake Upsata Guest Ranch - Ovando, Montana: $1,540 adult/$1,330 child weekly from May 15 through September 3, 2001; $1,190 adult/$1,050 child from September 11 through October 31, 2001. Lake Upsata Guest Ranch is just an hour from Missoula through the beautiful Blackfoot River Valley from"A River Runs Through It." At an elevation of 4,100 feet, the ranch is located on a beautiful lake nestled near mountains on the southern edge of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Capacity: 30.
Price includes accommodation, meals, children's program, horseback riding, fly fishing instruction and guided wade trips, swimming, boating, mountain biking, guided hiking, daily maid service and more.

GORP (a.k.a. Great Outdoor Recreation Pages) is the largest and most trafficked Web site dedicated to outdoor recreation and adventure travel. With more than 200,000 pages of content, GORP offers a complete package of authoritative, award-winning content; a large, active community of outdoor enthusiasts; and a full-range of e-commerce offerings drawing nearly 14 million page views per month. Started in 1995, GORP offers a full-service adventure travel booking feature with more than 4,000 trips, accessible via the Web or telephone, in addition to a gear store with 180 brands of clothing, footwear and equipment. GORP has been cited by Yahoo! Internet Life, US News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and many others, as the leader in this category and a"Best of the Web" site.

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