Ditch the West for Hudson Valley dude ranches and fly fishing 

If you’re looking to relax, reconnect, and blow off some steam, it’s prime time to gather your dudes and get outside. Your adventure crew doesn’t need to travel to Montana or Colorado to soak up nature, catch trout, shoot some clay, ride horses, scramble up rocks, and maybe throw a tomahawk or two. Dude ranches and outdoorsy resorts across the Hudson Valley, Catskills, and Adirondacks are ready to help you saddle up to the perfect weekend adventure.

We’re focusing on traditional male-bonding activities here, but you don’t have to be a dude to appreciate them. At the risk of making a sweeping gendered statement, Ceccarini confided, “We always say that women make better fly anglers than men because, (a) They listen, and (b) They don’t try to overpower the gear.”

As far as he’s concerned, adding women to the mix could hustle up some friendly competition on your weekend trip, but whoever makes up your crew, there’s a resort in driving distance waiting to host you.

Clay shooting for romantics at Troutbeck

What if your dude crew is comprised of introspective, liberal arts types who’ve had the kind of year that makes them want to shoot something? Look no further than Troutbeck, a 250-acre estate hotel in the Dutchess County town of Amenia. Its original owners hosted writers Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson and the naturalist, John Burroughs, marking a history of deep conversations echoing through its halls.

It’s also conveniently located to outfitters where guests can book their own adventures. Twenty minutes away is Orvis Sandanona, the oldest permitted shotgun shooting club in America, which offers private and group lessons to ease the learning curve of clay shooting. Visitors interested in canoeing, kayaking, and rafting on the Housatonic River can take a short drive to Clarke Outdoors in West Cornwall, and if you want to work in 18 holes, the The Links at Union Vale golf course is 40 minutes away.

If you’re looking to take your squad to the next level of gentlemanly sportsmanship, Troutbeck offers on-site falconry packages. Plus, they’ve got an outdoor pool, tennis courts, hiking trails, and a walled garden built in 1916 that is home to the world’s largest private collection of Clematis, a showy flowering vine.

With 36 guest rooms, including 9 suites and various connecting configurations, plus a number of communal gathering rooms with grand fireplaces, Troutbeck makes an ideal venue for gathering with a group. The menu at their on-site restaurant changes with seasons, and the vibe is farm-to-table luxe (think saffron tagliatelle with local leeks, Littleneck clams, and lobster) and their signature cocktails can be prepared in to-go bottles for guests. When you can hit the trails with an herbaceous Alpine Negroni roadie (made with mezcal, Braulio Amaro, Cardamaro, and Byrrh), you know your getaway is complete.

Troutbeck, 515 Leedsville Rd, Amenia, NY; (845) 789-1555; @troutbeck.ny

A fabled place for fly fishermen: Livingston Manor

Perhaps your dudes are seasoned anglers, or maybe the closest they’ve ever gotten to fly-casting is the 1992 Brad Pitt film, “A River Runs Through It.” Either way, Livingston Manor’s Beaverkill Valley Inn offers access to one mile of private waters in a legendary trout stream that’s considered the birthplace of fly fishing in America. Whether or not any fish are caught, visitors can wade through an idyllic nature scene.

The inn sells locally tied and handcrafted flies, rents rods and reels, and lends complimentary waders (that is, waterproof pants) and wading shoes to their guests. A local fishing guru offers casting lessons and fishing tours for visitors of all ages and levels of experience. To go even deeper, the Wulff School of Fly Fishing is a mile upstream from the Inn, and for serious anglers, local fisherman Ceccarini recommends taking a drive to the Shehawken Access on the Delaware River to board a drift boat with Cross Current Guide Service: “Seeing the river from a boat not only offers a closer glimpse at nature, but it will allow you to improve your fishing skill and have a better chance at catching fish.”

In addition to fly-fishing, the 19-room Beaverkill Valley Inn offers 40 miles of private trails, and guests can ask the front desk to pack a locally sourced picnic lunch to eat along the way. For rainy days, there’s an indoor pool, a basketball court, and a game room stocked with billiards, foosball, and ping-pong tables.

Beaverkill Valley Inn, 7 Barnhart Road, Livingston Manor, NY; 845-439-4844; @thebeaverkillvalleyinn

Where cowboy dreams come true: The Adirondacks

Up in the Adirondacks, 65 miles north of Albany and just 15 minutes from Lake George, the 1000 Acres Ranch offers a taste of the Wild West. Founded in 1942, this historic dude ranch specializes in horseback riding and also offers hiking, fishing, tubing down the Hudson, bonfires, two outdoor pools, an indoor pool, a petting zoo, and team sports (basketball, volleyball, and softball) as well as lawn sports (horseshoes, bocce ball, and cornhole).

The Stony Creek ranch is known for its riding program. In addition to offering riding lessons, and easygoing walking rides for beginners, there are also riding opportunities for those with more experience. It’s the one place in the Northeast where you can cross the Hudson on horseback—and see some of the prettiest trails in Adirondack Park while you’re at it. For any dudes who’ve grown up on Westerns and dreamed of growing up to be cowboys, there’s a cattle-sorting experience held in the 1000 Acres arena, where would-be ranch-hands get the chance to sort live cattle and move them into their pens.

In many of the rustic freestanding cabins and in the main lodge, bunk beds are set up alongside doubles, and while the rooms aren’t fancy, there are mountain and river views aplenty. The ranch offers special events like line-dancing weekends and BYO ATV weekends sprinkled throughout the summer. Meals are included, so it’s easy for guests to grab some grub at the on-site restaurant, and by night, s’mores are served around the bonfire.

1000 Acres Ranch, 465 Warrensburg Road, Stony Creek, NY; (518) 696-2444; @the1000acresranch

A ranch for city slickers and little dudes: Kerhonkson

For a ranch with a few more creature comforts (such as on-site Starbucks coffee) and extra entertainment for the kiddos (magic shows and jugglers in their entertainment room), Pine Ridge Dude Ranch in Kerhonkson delivers a countrified experience for a whole family of dudes. In addition to horseback riding, guests have access to a tractor rides, a rock-climbing wall, a petting zoo, and paddleboats, plus an indoor and an outdoor pool, each equipped with double-flume water slides.

Of course, the horses are the draw here, with riding options for all skill levels. Kids 8 and under are invited to take pony rides with a professional photographer on hand to document the experience, while walking, intermediate, and advanced rides, plus opportunities for lessons, are open to those with more experience on horseback. Novice riders aged 10 and up can also take a 3-hour Cowboy Horsemanship class, and kids aged 12 and up can continue the horsemanship series and learn how to navigate obstacles and trail-blaze through the woods.

The ranch was originally established 40 years ago but was renovated in 2018, keeping its Western feel while polishing up its amenities. Overnight packages including meals, entertainment, and one trail ride or pony ride per day. The Round Up Corral Dining Room offers classic kid’s menu items, along with specialties to feed one’s inner cowboy, like smoked beef brisket, fall-off-the-bone ribs, sliced steak, country fried chicken, and beef chili.

Pine Ridge Dude Ranch, 30 Cherrytown Rd, Kerhonkson, NY; (845) 626-7345; @pineridgeduderanch

Related: Cool day passes to Hudson Valley hotspots

A sporty outdoorsman’s trip: Mohonk

With its ever-long list of activities, Mohonk Mountain House remains a classic destination for outdoor types. Located on the Shawankgunk Ridge in Ulster County, the majestic resort dates back to the 1860s.

It’s the largest visitor-supported nature preserve in New York State with access to over 85 miles of hiking trails to explore on your own or with a group. Local naturalists lead leisurely hikes that feel like an in-person nature show, and for more adventurous hikers, rock-climbing guides can be booked to help guests navigate the twists and turns of the Labyrinth rock scramble and climb up through the Lemon Squeeze crevice.

The trails are just the beginning here — activities abound for sportsmen of all stripes. Guests can go kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding, or fishing on Lake Mohonk, the picturesque glacial lake that catches the reflection of the 259-room inn. It has depths of 61 feet and is stocked with rainbow trout, and fishing poles are available for guests to rent. Visitors are also invited to rent mountain bikes, try their hands at archery or tomahawk-throwing, go horseback riding, play tennis on the inn’s four Har-Tru courts and two red clay soft courts, or tee off on the 9-hole Mohonk Golf Course, which was established in 1897, making it one of the oldest in the country.

Lest Mohonk’s charming Victorian décor feel a bit fusty for wilderness men, keep in mind that the room rate includes all-you-can-eat buffet meals to suit the most manly appetites, and the guys can unwind at the Carriage Lounge, a rustic space serving local beer and local whiskey flights from nearby breweries and distilleries like Arrowood Farms in Accord and Tuthilltown Distillery in Gardiner.

For ultimate relaxation, treat your fellas to the resort’s popular Mohonk Muscle Rescue massage at their in-house spa.

Mohonk Mountain House, 1000 Mountain Rest Rd, New Paltz, NY; (845) 765-3286; @mohonkmountainhouse