How to decide if a ranch vacation or holiday in Montana is for you
Ranch vacations are usually all inclusive packages combining accommodation, food and a range of activities including horse riding. They may be working ranches with cattle work to be done and limited facilities or, on the other end of the scale resort ranches with every luxury known to mankind in a rustic setting. Guest ranches are somewhere in the middle of this scale.
Working Ranches in Montana
One the main reasons many riders want to go on a ranch holiday or vacation is often to experience cattle work, possibly inspired by the movie City Slickers. There are a number of working ranches in Montana. The accommodation can be very basic with either ranch accommodation, in bunkhouses or multi bed rooms or camping, but the welcome is genuine. Nowadays many ranches have parcels of land in different areas so often the horses are saddled and then trucked to the area to be worked that day. The cattle work consists of gathering the herds for treatments, to move herds of cattle to other pastures, checking and maintaining fences, put out salt and other supplement licks, checking waterholes and boreholes etc
It is important to check the size of the ranch, number of cattle run and accommodation and bathing facilities available before choosong a working ranch to ensure you get the expereince you want. Some do run to a hot tub!
Guest and Resort Ranches in Montana
Guest ranches are very popular ranch vacations. They combine comfortable guest accommodation, usually with single or twin rooms and en suite facilities, good restaurant food and very good riding programs and other activities for non-riders such as fishing or hiking.
Guest ranches may have cattle on site to enable you to learn and enjoy some basic cowboy skills such roping, sorting and penning cattle as well as demonstrations of some incredible skills. Some ranches, especially those priced towards the resort end of the range have extensive facilities such as tennis courts, swimming pools, bars and a choice of restaurants.
When booking a guest ranch or resort ranch it is important to check you are happy with the riding program and cattle work offered and the level of accommodation and facilities is what you expect.
Going on a ranch vacation in Montana with your family
Guest and resort ranches in Montana make excellent family vacations. In school holiday time ranches are famous for their extensive children’s programmes with skilled and enthusiastic counsellors and the children divided into age appropriate groups and taken on exciting activities daily. It is not uncommon for children and families to become friends with others vacationing at the same time and to return year after year in the same week for a family vacation. Please see our page for selecting a family ranch vacation for more details of what to look for.
The horses and riding programmes available on ranch holidays in Montana
All ranches in Montanan utilize mostly pure or cross bred Quarter horses for their riding programmes. Guest ranches in particular do have Quarter horses crossed with draft or warmblood horses to be able to offer riding to taller and heavier guests. There is a good selection of horses on most ranches and there are horses for all levels of riding ability from beginner to advanced.
If you would like to ride faster it is important to check that the ranch you choose allows this as, due to mountainous terrain common in Montana or for safety reasons, many ranches in Montana limit horse riding to a walking pace. Cattle work is preferentially done at a slow pace with only the occasional faster bit to get ahead of a herd and open a gate or bring back a runaway. So there is plenty of riding for everyone from beginner to advanced. It is likely you will be asked to first ride on a slow ride and then pass an assessment to be sure you are safe to ride on the faster rides on ranch vacation in Montana.
All riding is done in western style on western saddles. You will be given guidelines on these when riding for the first time. Some ranches offer western riding lessons, check this is available if you are interested in improving your western riding skills in Montana.
Getting to Montana for your ranch vacation
The main feeder airports for ranches in Montana ar Billings and Bozeman Airports. Both are available with connecting flights from outside the US. Due to time differences with Europe it is often necessary to arrange an overnight at either Bozeman or Billings town before heading on to your Montana ranch in the morning. Transfers from either hotels or airports can be arranged in normal hours.
If you are planning to rent a car and drive to the ranch it is important check if a 4 wheel drive is needed and the expected weather and road conditions at the time as some (especially working) ranches are in remote places with long access over roads not maintained by public authorities. Internet connections and GPS guidance can be intermittent on most Montana ranches, so be sure to have good directions printed out in the car.
Best Time to Visit ranches in Montana
The ranching season in Montana is in the northern hemisphere summer: from around May/June to about October depending on the elevation and snowfall of the particular ranch. Check the opening times. Access by vehicle and weather can be more challenging around the first and last weeks of opening times.
In the summer most ranches (apart from working ranches) are filled with families and offer family packages. In the shoulder season we see more couples and retired visitors, and also faster riding programmes aimed at riders. Cattle work also tends to be busier at the start of the season when cattle are being driven up into mountain pastures and at the end of the seasons when they are gathered.
There are rodeos on all summer and many ranches will take guests to visit the local rodeos on request. The fourth of July is a huge holiday celebration in Montana, as it is in the rest of the USA, and there are a large number of small local rodeos which are fun to attend.
If you have any further questions about ranch holidays or vacations in Montana do get in touch with one of our super travel advisors who have all ridden throughout the USA and Montana in particular many times.
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