Michigan's Wild West
We’ve all seen the “Pure Michigan” advertisements for golf courses, orchards, casinos and shorelines, but don’t think that just because The Buffalo Ranch in Hanover, Michigan, hasn’t been featured in one it’s not worth the drive. In fact, it is one of the state’s best-kept secrets for adventure seekers.
Located about an hour west of Ann Arbor, The Buffalo Ranch offers buffalo adventures and horseback riding year-round on a 240-acre spread. Its 40 buffalo roam peacefully over 80 fenced-in acres of the property. Visitors can hand-feed the enormous animals while onboard one of the ranch’s wagon rides.
For those who prefer to ride rather than feed the animals, the ranch offers guided horseback-riding tours with a variety of horses capable of accommodating all skill levels, from experienced to beginning riders. The ranch doesn’t offer any predetermined routes, so each ride is unique. Depending on preference, riders walk, trot, canter or gallop through wooded areas, open fields, along dirt paths and across creeks. Now is a particularly good time to visit the ranch because of its newest addition — a colt born in late June.
In addition to horseback riding and wagon rides, visitors can test their rodeo skills atop a mechanical bull or zoom across the sky while clinging to a zipline. If you’re looking for a Wild West experience closer to home, The Buffalo Ranch is your place. And if a few hours of enjoyment aren’t enough for you, ask about becoming a cowboy for a day.
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