Saddle Up
Embrace your inner cowboy or cowgirl at White Pines Ranch, a dude ranch just for children and families located on 200 acres of beautiful woods, pastures and horse trails in Oregon, Illinois.
For day-trippers, horses are available for guided trips ranging from 45 minutes to an entire day’s ride, with picnic time included. Enjoy a scenic trail ride past moss-covered cliffs, blossoming lilies and the meandering banks of Spring and Pine creeks. See if you can spot the many small mammals — squirrels, raccoons and chipmunks — that call White Pines home. Fifteen-minute pony rides are also available for the 7-and-under set.
If you’d rather stay awhile, hit the hay at one of nearby White Pines Inn’s 25 cozy, one-room log cabins. The inn’s restaurant is a popular local dining destination, featuring stunning views alongside home-style favorites like the Pine Creek peach cobbler.
White Pines Ranch also offers a family weekend (Sept. 30–Oct. 2) dedicated to the dude ranch experience. Enjoy horseback riding, hiking, fossil hunting and other wholesome country pastimes from hayrides and line dancing to bingo and — that classic cowboy form of entertainment — singing around the campfire.
If you prefer hiking over horseback riding, head over to White Pines Forest State Park, where you’ll find seven marked trails, each with color-coded markers to assist with orienteering. Three of the trails are less than a mile long, ideal for families with small children. There is also a path that’s easily accessible for physically challenged visitors.
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