When it comes horseback riding, many operators are adding luxuries like spas, paintball areas, and ATV rides. At least, that is the trend for the handful of dude ranches that still dot the last remnants of the American West, according to a story by CBS.

A few of them aren't following the trend and they don't have any plans to change. The spirit of the original dude ranch or cowboy trail rides still immerses riders in an authentic experience like ranchers and historic naturalists intended since the 1800s.

"I think it's great that some dude ranchers have added  interesting things like swimming pools," says James Hoke, president of TourGuy.com LLC. "But we still need some cowboy trail operators to preserve an experience that is as authentic and as immersive as possible."

Hoke says immersive experiences are still an important part of the draw for guests taking rides with Las Vegas Horseback Tours, which operates in remote areas of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

"Of course, there is a difference in that many of our guests are enjoying all of the more luxurious and modern amenities on the Las Vegas Strip," Hoke said. "That is what makes the tour brilliant. It separates the best of two worlds, with all the resort amenities readily available and the increasingly rare experience of an authentic trail ride miles away in one of the most stunning and beautiful areas in Nevada."

The trails across the rugged desert are not only authentic, but they are also historic. Part of the tour takes riders on a stretch of the Old Spanish Trail, which follows the same paths cut by Mexican caravans between 1829 and 1948. Originally, the trails were mapped out by connecting foot paths of Native Americans.

After the trails fell out of use by frontiersmen and traders, they became a favored route by bank robbers, outlaws, and desperadoes. Riding the well-worn trails could make tracking escape routes more difficult while providing additional cover from posses and lawmen, especially when the trails snaked in and out of canyons and river beds.

"If you've never leaned back in a saddle while a horse navigates into a ravine or wash, some areas of these horseback trail rides will be unforgettable," says Hoke. "Everything about this excursion gives riders a sense of what it was really like to be an American cowboy, outlaw, lawman, or even one of thousands of families that crossed the United States by wagon train. I guarantee that you will stand right where they did and still wonder how they could have done it."

Since the Red Rock Canyon is protected as a national conservation area, Las Vegas Horseback Tours is one of the few operators in the West that will always provide an authentic trail ride, leaving the luxuries and lavishness of a resort experience to world famous hotels. There will never be a resort or even a ranch allowed on this pristine land.

"What people always need to keep in mind, especially in the desert, is that it is one of the most fragile environments anywhere in the world," says Hoke. "There are wagon wheel tracks made by pioneers in the 1800s that still exist today all across the Mojave Desert and Great Basin. By sticking to these routes, we not only create a vivid reimagining of the American West for people, but also one that protects the environment."

Horseback riding will attract even more interest this year. 

Hoke also said that horseback riding is becoming a reclaimed activity all over the United States as more and more people are taking an interest. There are new areas being proposed in places like Ocean City, more research being conducted on how horseback riding helps kids, and some additional excitement being generated as Elizabeth "Beezie" Madden will be vying for her fourth gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London.

"All of these stories, and the recent success of the movie Warhorse, has had a profound affect on people even though it was a story that took place in Europe," says Hoke. "The American West and horseback riding is deeply rooted in our heritage as a nation and more people want to experience that connection firsthand."

In the Red Rock Canyon area, TourGuy.com highlights two rides. The first is a breakfast ride that begins at 8:30 a.m. (hotel pickup at 7 a.m.) immediately following an authentic Western-style breakfast cooked over coals. After the ride, guests are invited to spend some time at Bonnie Springs Ranch, which includes a replica of an 1880s mining town. The second ride, which also takes place in the morning, follows different sections of the Old Spanish Trail, and ends with an authentic cowboy lunch.

TourGuy.com is a rapidly-growing tour company located in Las Vegas. It offers several dozen tours from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon as well as select national parks in California, Utah, and Nevada. Most are eco- or adventure tours. The company opened in 2010. It also offers several other horseback riding tours, including one located near the Grand Canyon in Arizona (Las Vegas guests are returned to their hotels the same day).