“Rough It With Ease,” urged brochures for McGraw Ranch.. But “easy” clearly trumped “rough” at this idyllic vacation resort, which sat at the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park. True, guests could get a taste of the authentic cowboy experience—riding horses, sleeping in log bunkhouses, listening to stories around a crackling campfire. Authentic cowboys, though, didn’t dine with real silverware, sleep on inner-spring mattresses, fish from stocked ponds, or spend idle evenings playing billiards and Ping-Pong.

McGraw Ranch offered just enough of the real West to indulge guests’ fantasies. And there was nothing illusionary about the peace and quiet, the breathtaking landscapes, or the sunshine and fresh air. Those qualities, plus the dash of western romance, made dude ranching one of Colorado’s earliest and most durable tourist draws—and the McGraw spread ranked among the most successful in the industry. Founded as a regular cattle and horse operation in 1884, it became a full-time dude ranch in 1936 and worked at nearly full capacity for the next fifty-plus summers.

Rocky Mountain National Park bought the ranch in 1988 and converted the land to winter wildlife range. But the old buildings remain in place, perched beside a busy trailhead. Hikers and campers walk past, outfitted with the latest innovations in backcountry comfort—roughing it with as much ease as their gear will allow.