Mayan Dude Ranch

What Mayan Dude Ranch does

Mayan Dude Ranch is a single-property, family-owned guest ranch operating on 348 acres in Bandera, Texas, in the Texas Hill Country. The property traces back to a 1931 Girl Scout camp with 30 cabins, and the Hicks family has owned and operated it continuously since 1951, now into its third generation. The core product is an all-inclusive dude ranch vacation priced at $225 per adult per night (minimum two-night stay), covering historic cabin accommodation, three daily cowboy meals, two guided horseback rides, and access to recreational amenities (pool, tennis courts, fishing, hiking, hayrides, and more). A horse rescue program is run on-site as a sanctuary mission. A secondary revenue stream comes from venue rental — a 3,000 sq. ft. conference center, outdoor pavilion, and catering for corporate retreats, weddings, family reunions, and concerts.

The business operates on a direct-to-consumer model with no online booking; all reservations are taken by phone against an offline ledger, with TripAdvisor serving as the primary third-party discovery channel. The underlying technology stack is minimal — a WordPress website for marketing and a telephone-based booking workflow. There is no proprietary software, no mobile app, no APIs, and no AI/ML capabilities. The ranch operates seasonally, with peak summer programming (mid-May through mid-August) and a reduced winter schedule. Marketing is constrained to a website, Facebook, WordPress blog, and TripAdvisor, with no digital advertising or CRM infrastructure disclosed. There is no parent company, no external investors, and no PE/VC backing; ownership and operations remain entirely within the Hicks family with a reported headcount of seven.

Name

Mayan Dude Ranch

Legal name

Mayan Dude Ranch

Website

https://mayanranch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mayan Dude Ranch is a family-owned, all-inclusive guest ranch in Bandera, Texas, offering historic cabins, three daily meals, guided horseback riding, and recreation on 348 acres. It serves families, corporate retreats, and wedding clients via phone-based reservations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Guest Ranch / Dude Ranch Hospitality

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Farm Stays & Agritourism Lodges (THAMADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farmstay Rooms (Working Farms/Ranches) (THAMABAG), Agritourism Eco-Lodges & Farm Nature Stays (THAAAHAL)

Keywords

• Dude ranch vacations
• Guest ranch lodging
• Horseback riding resort
• Ranch venue rental
• All-inclusive ranch stay

Headquarters

HQ city

Bandera

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. All-Inclusive Guest Stays: The primary revenue stream is all-inclusive per person per night pricing covering accommodation in historic cabins, three cowboy meals daily, two horseback rides per day, access to tennis courts, and all scheduled activities.
2. Venue and Event Rental: Revenue generated from renting out the ranch facilities including the conference center (3000 sq. ft. meeting room), outdoor pavilion areas, and lodging for business meetings, retreats, concerts, conventions, family reunions, and weddings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mayan Dude Ranch sells an all-inclusive dude ranch vacation experience on a 348-acre property in the Texas Hill Country of Bandera, Texas. The bundled stay includes rustic cabin accommodations, three cowboy-style meals daily, two guided horseback rides per day, and access to a wide range of on-site activities (swimming, tennis, fishing, hayrides, music, dancing, stargazing, etc.). The ranch also rents its facilities and provides catering for events, and runs a horse rescue program as part of its offering.

Product overview

Mayan Dude Ranch is a single unified dude ranch vacation product offering an all-inclusive experience on 348 acres in Bandera, Texas. The core offering combines historic cabin accommodations with three daily cowboy-style meals, guided horseback riding (two rides daily), and a wide range of recreational activities. The ranch operates a horse rescue program as part of its sanctuary mission. Additional services include venue rental for events and corporate gatherings, featuring a 3,000 sq. ft. conference center with custom catering capabilities. The property operates seasonally with different schedules for summer months (May 24th to August 16th) versus the rest of the year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dude Ranch Vacation Experience All-inclusive multi-day dude ranch vacation on a 348-acre Texas Hill Country property, bundling historic cabin lodging, three cowboy meals daily, two guided horseback rides per day, and access to all scheduled on-site activities. Targeted at families and groups seeking an authentic Western guest ranch experience.
• Historic Cabin Accommodations Rustic cabin lodging with unique décor, varying bedding configurations (bunk beds, double beds, queen beds), and some units with fireplaces. Included as part of the all-inclusive ranch stay for guest ranch visitors.
• Horseback Riding Program Twice-daily guided horseback trail rides in single-file formation, approximately 50 minutes each, included in the guest stay. Horses range from rescues to retired performance horses. Minimum rider age 6 and a 240 lb weight limit apply.
• Horse Rescue Program Horse sanctuary accepting horses of all ages and conditions, including rescue mustangs and retired performance horses, providing lifelong care. Sanctuary horses are also used in the ranch's trail riding program.
• Cowboy Dining Experience Three daily cowboy-style meals cooked fresh on-site, including Cowboy Breakfast cooked on open range, Lazy Lunch, and Dinner with entertainment. Features Texas-style BBQ, Mexican cuisine, and hearty meat-based portions. Included in the guest stay.
• Recreational Amenities On-site recreational amenities included with the stay: swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, shuffleboard, ping pong, cornhole, fishing, hiking, board games, and animal encounters.
• Venue Rental & Conference Services Event venue rental for business meetings, retreats, concerts, conventions, family reunions, and weddings. Includes a 3,000 sq. ft. conference center (up to 120 people), 16 on-site lodging rooms, an outdoor pavilion, A/V equipment, and on-site lodging options.
• Catering Services Custom menu options for events including three meals daily, outdoor barbecues, steak fries, sunrise coffee service, and snacks. Food has been featured in multiple magazines. Available with venue rental for events and gatherings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced seven world champion rodeo cowboys through Western tradition

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TripAdvisorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTripAdvisor listing provides third-party reviews and booking referral for the ranch. The partnership offers potential guests an additional platform to research and book stays through TripAdvisor's travel marketplace.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Drowsy Water Ranch: Colorado family-owned dude ranch in operation for multiple generations, providing all-inclusive horseback riding and cabin stays. Highly comparable to Mayan Dude Ranch on family-ownership model, all-inclusive pricing, and activity mix.
• Bar W Guest Ranch: Montana guest ranch offering all-inclusive stays with daily horseback riding, cabin lodging, and ranch activities. Closely comparable on operating model, target segments, and seasonal schedule.
• Zapata Ranch: Colorado guest ranch on a large working bison and cattle property offering horseback riding and ranch stays. Comparable on horseback-centric experience and ranch heritage, with similar operational constraints (weight limits, guided trail rides).
• Vista Verde Guest Ranch: Colorado luxury all-inclusive guest ranch with horseback riding, cabin lodging, and corporate retreat facilities. Direct comparable on venue rental, all-inclusive pricing, and dual leisure-corporate guest mix, though at a higher luxury tier.
• Tanque Verde Guest Ranch: Family-oriented guest ranch in Tucson, Arizona with all-inclusive horseback riding, meals, and recreational programming on a large desert property. Direct comparable in business model, activity mix, and family-corporate dual customer base.
• Rankin Ranch: California working dude ranch operating since 1947, offering all-inclusive horseback riding, cabin lodging, and meals on a multi-thousand-acre property. Highly comparable in heritage (multi-generational family-owned, similar vintage to Mayan) and all-inclusive structure.
• C Lazy U Ranch: Long-established luxury dude ranch in Granby, Colorado offering all-inclusive horseback riding, cabin lodging, and family activities. Highly comparable to Mayan Dude Ranch on operating model (all-inclusive, horseback-centric, multi-generational guests) though positioned at a higher luxury price point.
• Bonanza Creek Guest Ranch: Montana dude ranch providing all-inclusive horseback riding vacations, cabin accommodations, and ranch programming. Direct comparable on all-inclusive model, family-group orientation, and western heritage positioning.
• White Stallion Ranch: Family-owned dude ranch in Tucson, Arizona offering all-inclusive stays, daily trail rides, and venue facilities. Direct comparable on operational model, target customer (families, groups, corporate), and heritage positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Under Canvas: Multi-location glamping and outdoor lodging brand across US national parks. Adjacent competitor in the experiential outdoor hospitality category, competing for a portion of Mayan's family and group travel demand with more scalable, digitally native operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MayanRanch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mayan-dude-ranch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mayan Dude Ranch