Article: Colorado dude ranch owners face shortage of visitors, uncertain future.

Byline: Julie Dunn

Aug. 7--Still struggling to regain the business they lost after 9/11, Colorado's dude ranches are looking in their own backyards for visitors to fill their bunkhouses.

"The past three years have been tough, which is why we've been thinking outside of the box," said Karen May, co-owner of the North Fork Ranch in Shawnee. "Every dollar helps. You need to change with the times."

It's still unclear whether the quest for in-state visitors -- and other out-of- the-box revenue-boosting ideas -- will solve dude ranches' problems. Three guest ranches are currently for sale, and if mountain land values continue to skyrocket, experts ...

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