Your Guide to a Luxury Ranch Retreat in Montana

Montana is unquestionably one of the most beautiful places in America, and almost certainly ranks among the most naturally beautiful, grand, and majestic places in the world. The seemingly endless sky stretches over flatlands, mountains, rivers, and dwellings, free from pollution. The land still feels wild: deep greens, rust red rocks and sand, the bright and midnight blues of water. It’s like nowhere else on earth. If you’ve always wanted to explore the wide open spaces that Montana has to offer but worried that roughing it enough to get an authentic Montana experience may not be for you…fret not.

The combination of working ranches and “accommodation only” guest ranches dotted across Montana’s plateaus has expanded to include some of the country’s most luxurious stays and unfettered nature experiences. These are the best of the best: Montana ranches that offer guests luxury amenities and a slice of life on a ranch and in the Montana wilderness, winter and summer. Each ranch offers personalized itineraries, pre-built options, a range of activities to suit every kind of visitor, heavenly dining, and, naturally, first-class luxury amenities.

Lone Mountain Ranch

Lone Mountain Ranch has stood for more than 100 years and remains a symbol of the wild days of the American West. Since the days of the first homestead on the property, the mission for the inhabitants of Lone Mountain has been the same: preservation, welcoming hospitality, and a well-pickled working ranch. Things have changed a lot since the land was settled, and the property now holds 25 historic log cabins fitted with every modern comfort and luxury you could imagine. Find the solitude you seek in an intimate cabin or bring the whole family to a six-bedroom home for bonding time. Lone Mountain welcomes either guest. Just a short 50-minute drive from Bozeman Yellowstone Airport, the ideal place for those who book private jet travel to touch down, there’s plenty to see and do in the nearby town of Big Sky and the ranch itself.

• Take yourself and the family on a horseback ride, get a little quiet time when you go fly fishing, go for a hike, or try the ropes course if you’re feeling energetic, center yourself with yoga classes, get your aggression out with axe throwing, or experience a cattle drive for yourself in summer.
• When the snow begins to fall, guests can enjoy snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling for a little adrenaline rush, and magical sleigh rides.
• Embrace fine dining at the Horn and Canley Restaurant. The ranch’s executive chef oversees every menu from the morning meal to a sumptuous dinner, including the sleigh ride dinners offered in winter.
• Cuddle up by the fire and read, watch the stunning views, or play games with the family in the cozy-chic cabins on the property.

B Bar Ranch

The B Bar Ranch takes you entirely out of time and away from the parameters of your everyday lives. It transports you to simpler days when hearing the eerie, mighty howl of the local wolf pack was the only soundtrack needed. To a time when entertainment consisted of watching the cowboys safely gather the herd with the help of their tack-sharp working dogs or listening to the cry of the sandhill cranes as they glided over terrain that they never stopped seeing as theirs. Breathe in the aspen and the ranch’s scents and let your shoulders ease. The B Bar is your home for a while, and life here is full of soothing routines and experiences.

Curled like a sleeping cat against the Tom Miner Basin in the heart of Montana, the B Bar is something special indeed. The seclusion of the setting is one of the main draws for visitors escaping from busy lives in busy cities, hoping for a chance to connect and reset. The ranch’s proximity to Yellowstone National Park makes it an excellent choice for a longer visit split between the two destinations, but if the B Bar is your sole focus, don’t worry: you’ll be more than happy with where you are.

• The easy walking trails are well-maintained for those who wish to immerse themselves in nature.
• The cozy, rustic (but not too rustic) accommodations encourage guests to spend quality time with their party and bond over their experiences.
• The hot tub offers a chance to relax after an excursion and appreciate the gorgeous mountain views.
• The communal fire pits allow guests to meet and make new connections.
• Take guided nature walks or educational tours that detail regenerative ranching, experience hands-on ranch life, indulge in mindfulness practices and yoga classes, or bring your camera and capture some of the wildlife that calls the ranch home.

The Ranch at Rock Creek

This exquisite example of a ranch retreat has the honor of being named Montana’s Forbes Travel Guide’s first five-star property, so you know that you can expect the highest standard of service and the highest quality of amenities when you arrive. The Ranch at Rock Creek is where nature’s magic and human vision collide in the most entrancing way. The many historical structures still on the ranch (19th century) are set against a backdrop carved out by nature herself, thanks to glacier movements over the centuries, and the homestead thrives on this balance between humans and the great outdoors.

If the beauty of the ranch doesn’t do it for you (it will, don’t worry!), then the cabins on the property will take your breath away. From studios to five-bedroom homes, each cabin is decorated in a modern reimagining of the old Western style, and each holds its own collection of custom-made furniture and carefully curated antiques to provide a unique charm.

• Enjoy an all-inclusive visit- dining on farm-to-table ranch cuisine, experiences, and twice daily housekeeping visits.
• Visit the Silver Dollar Saloon to play a few billiards games, try your hand at poker or shuffleboard, belt out some karaoke, take in a film in the private movie theater, go bowling, or enjoy your personal favourite, outdoor and fire-fresh smores.
• Take it easy and revel in the views from the hot tub or the pool (so don’t forget to pack your swimsuit), or better yet, pamper yourself at the in-house spa.
• If you’re looking for more physical activity, there are archery classes, a ropes course, frontier skills lessons, horseback riding, flying, and lots more.

The Question Now is…Which One?

Or perhaps, which one first? These three ranch escapes top the list for experiencing everything Montana and ranch life offer, so why choose between them?

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