My daughter and I needed a fresh start after my divorce. A vacation at a Colorado dude ranch gave us one.

The author (right) traveled to a dude ranch in Colorado for a mother-daughter trip after her divorce. Courtesy of Rebecca Lillian.

Resting by the heated pool in my cowboy hat , breathing the fresh mountain air, I watched my daughter laughing with her new friends and felt something I hadn't in years: a sense of peace.

Earlier that year, my husband and I inked our signatures in separate rooms, ending our 16-year marriage. Our divorce was one that could be labeled "volatile," and not just for us, but for our 8-year-old daughter.

When it came time to plan our first summer vacation with just me and her, I knew it would likely be a splurge, but I needed it to be special. We needed activity. We needed reconnection. We needed a dude ranch .

This was our first big adventure for just the two of us

My research led me to an all-inclusive ranch in Colorado.…