 |
 |
|
MONTANA, BRIDGER RANCH - USAmore photos | enquiry | availability check | ride reviews This is a hospitable family run ranch of 3200 acres. Your hosts' grandparents were the original homesteaders and carved the ranch out of the wilderness. Their love and knowledge of the surroundings is passed onto guests with lots of narrative tales and historical explanations and there is an obvious concern for this beautiful environment. You are accommodated in log cabins, well furnished and comfortable with en suite bathrooms. All cowboys like their food but the meals here are superlative. Everyone eats together around the kitchen table and there's plenty of friendly chat and good company. Mike is a horse trainer and most horses are bred and trained on the ranch with gentling methods. If you are interested in improving your riding skills, especially western and horsemanship, this is the place to come with regular clinics organised throughout the year and one day or more a week set aside for natural horsemanship clinics if wanted. Cattle work is also done for all the neighbours, so there is 22 square miles of territory to cover. The horses are well schooled with paces to suit all. Your hosts have years of experience looking after guests. Here you will be welcomed along with many others who have discovered this haven and return year after year to enjoy the peace and hospitality of this horse riding holiday.
SAMPLE ITINERARY - MONTANA, BRIDGER RANCH
NOTES - MONTANA, BRIDGER RANCHABOUT THE RANCHMary Leffingwell's father homesteaded the ranch at the turn of the century, and her late husband began taking guests in 1934. The ranching and guest business worked so well together that her son, grandson and their wives have continued on in Mary's footsteps. Mary's autobiographical book, "Diamonds in the Snow", tells of her childhood and growing up in early day Montana. Third generation George and his wife Patricia, along with fourth generation, Mike and his wife Maria now operate the ranch. Having spent four generations caring for the land, they are very conscious of the pulse of nature and how they, as ranchers, must fit into that rhythm. They have learned to live in harmony with the wild life and flora, that insures the preservation of the natural health of the land, our ranch and that of the surrounding area. The high percentage of return guests is testimony to the pleasure, comfort and relaxation found here. They want to share these unspoiled rolling hills and timber clad slopes that lend to the calm relaxed atmosphere of this mountain valley. The Leffingwell family, George, Patricia, Mike, Maria and Mary, welcomes you into their home to experience a living piece of history spanning almost one hundred years of raising horses and cattle, and almost 70 years of sharing the 3,200 acre ranch with guests from all over the world. HORSES AND RIDING At this ranch, the emphasis is on horseback riding and horsemanship instruction. Many of the horses are born, raised and trained on the ranch from own brood stock especially selected for the temperament and physical ability needed in this terrain and for the security of the guests. They continue to improve their horse herd and enjoy sharing the horses with you. Guests are assigned a specific horse for the week, and are welcome to help care for their horses. There is no experience required and a willingness to learn is encouraged. All rides are accompanied by a wrangler. Guests will average four to seven hours of riding per day, and they are accompanied on these rides by someone who knows the country. Usually, there is a two to three hour ride in the morning, back to the ranch house for lunch, and a three to four hour ride in the afternoon. Once a week an all day ride is scheduled and lunch is either taken along or brought to the riders chuckwagon style. Cattle working skills are usually taught in the arena with a few cattle a day or so before heading out into the open to move cattle. Once a week there is a natural horsemanship session if wanted. This is a real opportunity to learn more about the amazing skills that goes into training a responsive quarter horse from breaking onwards. Rides are usually geared to the skill level of the average rider of the group, and not all rides are in connection with the cattle. At selected times of the season, people can participate in working with the cattle, trail riding on the summer cattle range or horsemanship instruction in our outdoor riding/roping arena. There are many varied trails through rugged mountain terrain, gentle sloping foothills, grassy meadows and sagebrush flats, many of which were used by the Indians and our pioneering ancestors. In the winter months there is riding on most days and the winter calving season is from end February to beginning April. In addition the nearby Bridger Ski Station provides excellent skiing oportunities from December to end March. ACCOMMODATION There is a large log Ranch House with four bedrooms, all with private baths. All the rooms have a rustic feel with western decor. This building will be open year round, with a minimum of a week stay during the summer season. There are also three rustic log cabins. The large family cabin sleeps up to five people. It has two bedrooms, one with a double bed and one with two twin beds. Off of the master bedroom is a screened porch with a single bed. The cabin also has a living room with a fireplace, a front room with another single bed, a kitchenette with a sink and refrigerator and a bathroom. The smaller cabin has two bedrooms, one with a double bed and one with two single beds and a bathroom. MEALS The ranch offers delicious, excellently prepared wholesome meals including fresh garden vegetables, ranch raised beef, home made breads and desserts. SCENIC PLACES The ranch is approximately a two hour drive from the entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Information on the park can be obtained through the local chamber of commerce. There are many other local sites of interest such as The Lewis and Clark Caverns and the ghost towns of Castle, Elkhorn, Virginia City, Nevada City and Bannock. Transportation is not provided by the ranch, however, car rentals are available in Bozeman. Within 8 miles of the ranch are the Bridger Mountains with many hiking trails and Fairy Lake, a beautiful glacial lake nestled high in the peaks of the Bridgers. Drop off and pick up is available to the Bridger Mountains. Northeast of the ranch are the Crazy Mountains, a rugged mountain range with many hiking trails and glacial lakes as well. Both the Bridger and the Crazy Mountains have excellent trout filled lakes and streams. The Yellowstone River is within an hours drive from the ranch. Fly fishing guides and river rafting trips are available. Activities off of the ranch are separate costs not included in the ranch package. WILDLIFE AND LANDSCAPE For the animal enthusiast we have many species of interest. The most common spied animal on the ranch is the deer, mule and white tail. Early in the morning or in the evening you can watch them grazing in the fields around the ranch. A great photo opportunity, as the deer are quite tame. Another common sight is both the golden eagle and the red tailed hawk. Both can be seen soaring high above the ranch riding on the thermal air currents of the foothills. It is quite a sight if you catch a glimpse of them hunting and catching prey. For the bird watcher, there are numerous species to observe including the entertaining hummingbirds which fly around and feed from the many feeders and lilacs bushes surrounding the ranch house. Also living within the area are elk, coyote, moose, black bear, mountain lion and many small mammals such as bob cat, lynx, wolverine, mink, weasel, beaver, marmot, cotton tail, showshoe and jack rabbits. The creek that flows through the ranch is home to rainbow, native cut throat and brown trout. We do not however have any rattle snakes or grizzly bears on the ranch or surrounding areas. The ranch is situated in a valley between two series of foothills leading to higher more mountainous terrain. In the lower creek bed areas are many cottonwood and willow trees and grassy pastures leading up to sage covered hills dotted with occasional aspen groves and fir trees. Higher up is more timbered and rugged landscapes. Wild flowers start showing up in May with an explosion of vibrant colors and innumerable varieties covering the hillsides in late June through July with late summer bloomers continuing on into August and even September. One good picture is worth a thousand words, but a thousand pictures cannot do justice to this beautiful country. SHOPPING The two nearest places to shop are Bozeman and Livingston. Bozeman is a nice western town which has a Mall as well as shops, art galleries and western apparel stores. Livingston offers the same on a smaller scale. CHILDREN Unless otherwise pre-arranged, children are the responsibility of their parents. Children are encouraged to participate and are included in all ranch activities. ACTIVITIES The ranch has a very laidback atmosphere and unstructured schedule with horseback riding being the main organized activity. Guests are welcome to fish in the creek that flows through the ranch, home to rainbow, native cut throat and brown trout. Or hike on the many trails in the wide open spaces and sage covered foothills of the Bridger Mountains. There is also many opportunities for bird watching, photography or just plain relaxing. Rafting trips outside of the ranch can also be arranged. All these extra make for a great holiday for non-riding companions. The weight limit for this ride is 14 st/200 lb/91 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
FURTHER DETAILS Transfers, meals, accommodation and riding during your stay, all local taxes and a 10% tip. WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED International flights, drinks, off site activities, personal items and laundry. Clients who enjoyed this holiday also booked: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 
Unicorn Trails
17, Acorn Centre, Chestnut Avenue, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 ORA, England
sitemap
Tel: +44 (0)1767 600606 Fax: +44 (0)1767 312555 Office hours 9am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm Saturday Email: enquiries@unicorntrails.com http://www.unicorntrails.com This Website and all of its contents are copyright of Unicorn Trails.
Under no circumstances is any part of this site to be copied or used without written permission. |
