Sixty-five thousand acres of outback Arizona would seem to be plenty of room in which to play cowboy. In the case of Bellota Ranch, it’s also plenty of space to indulge in other recreational pursuits like the pool, hot tub and a near-sinful three-meal-a-day menu in an otherwise wilderness setting.

Bellota (pronounced bey-ó-ta, Spanish for walnut) has been a working cattle ranch for 114 years in spectacular rolling hills and canyons between the towering Rincon and Santa Catalina mountain ranges east of Tucson.
The cowboys and cowgirls at Bellota still run cows, but for the last six years, they’ve also taken in guests who can appreciate the joys of getting close to the spirit of the land well away from the city.

Most of the guests come to ride horses — and Bellota’s cowpokes (“wranglers") can accommodate equestrians of all levels, including those who don’t know one end of the beast from the other. But plenty of other guests opt to mix and match, if at all, with mountain biking and hiking, while still others elect to paint landscapes, take nature photos, snooze in the sun or catch up on their reading. At elevations well above 4,000 feet, the air here is not only clear, but also crisp much of the year.

Ironically, although Arizonans might logically seem to be most familiar with the place, nearly 70 percent of its clientele come from countries other than the U.S., and most of those from the United Kingdom. The majority discover Bellota when they enter "dude ranch" into an Internet browser search.

The term dude ranch definitely applies to Bellota’s sister operation, Tanque Verde Ranch, which fields hundreds of horses and guests daily in a plush, sprawling operation in the desert far below. But Web browsers who encounter the link between Tanque Verde and Bellota quickly discover the latter is a different beast. When owners Bob and Rita Cote acquired Bellota, they saw its potential as a fewer frills but more realistic Old West venue that would appeal to a hardier type of guest who could do without most urban niceties and crowds for a few days.

Bellota has a radiotelephone, satellite TV and wireless Internet connection, but shopping malls, fast food and theaters lie miles away via a country road with plenty of ruts, bumps and slick clay in wet weather. Most guests, rather than essay that jouncy journey in their own vehicles, elect to catch a high-clearance van that shuttles up and down the mountain at least once a day.

Lodging, built on the framework of the original ranch, consists of eight guest rooms, all with private baths, some with two bedrooms, many with fireplaces, all facing out onto a Spanish- style courtyard with fountains and lush shrubbery. Two century-old evergreens wave their lofty tops more than 50 feet overhead, a contrast to the nearby hillsides covered with manzanita, mesquite, juniper and hackberry.

Mealtime is get-together time at long trestle tables, wranglers alongside greenhorns, and it’s a good way to learn about the history of the place, as well as to make new acquaintances and hear snippets of other languages from around the globe. Menus change daily, and there’s always more than plenty of scrumptious delights to fill a platoon of famished diners.

For impulsive snackers and the parched, Bellota’s huge kitchen stays ready night and day with coffee and tea, cookies, fruits and industrial strength refrigerators filled with cool drinks. It’s all on the honor system ... if you take a beer from the fridge, make a note on the tally sheet tacked to the door, then pay your tab at the end of your stay.

Bellota Ranch is a step back in time, the ideal recipe for people who are willing to devote a few days or a week and re-discover the meaning of laid- back. And for those who find true love ... well, there’s always the small chapel nearby. More than a few couples have decided it’s definitely the place to get hitched.

For information, visit www.bellotaranch.com; call or write to 14301 E. Speedway, Tucson, AZ 85748.