Big Belt Cattle Drive

Introduction
Montana USA

Welcome to one of the great cattle drives of the West!  We are located in the mountains of southwestern Montana. If you look on a map and find Helena, you'll see a large lake called Canyon Ferry Lake. Our cattle drives wind through the Big Belt Mountains just east of Townsend.

These drives start out on the Missouri Valley floor at elevation around 4,000 feet. We trail east up the Big Belt Mountains and move the cattle through canyons with limestone rim rocks and across high ridges through Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine forests. Except when we are in the depths of the canyons, distant snow-capped mountains are always in view. The high ridges of the Big Belts go between 7,500 and 9,500 feet of elevation. During the drives, guests move between 400 and 1000 head of cattle. These cattle drives go right through the mountains. To give each guest the possibility to chase cattle we have a number of mini cattle drives going on within the large cattle drive. Along with the cattle drive, we have educational opportunities, intellectual offerings, and additional entertainment. We offer the guests a chance to learn fly fishing and roping. There are creeks that offer fly fishing opportunities at every camp. We have a Cowboy Poetry night. One evening we have a History Night where we try to share with our guests a glimpse at the Indian, gold mining, ghost town, and natural history of the local area. There is even a Country Dance night and a special Award's Night. Blended in with it all, are evenings of campfire song, trail rides, and laughter. There is a wrangler for every 4 riders. The drive is close to Yellowstone National Park (120 miles) so that you may be able to include a trip there in your itinerary.
If you don't want to ride a horse but would like to participate in the cattle drive, we offer a wagon train ride. Just relax on the trail and join the crew every afternoon at camp.

Accomodation

We have a fully equipped cook wagon on the drive. You'll be served hot family style meals at breakfast and supper every day.

Breakfast includes eggs, bacon or sausage, pancakes with maple or blueberry syrup, muffins or sweet rolls, cold cereals, French toast, milk, juices, coffee, hot chocolate and generous portions of fresh mountain air!

Lunch varies from drive to drive. Sometimes we have sack lunches of a sandwich, fresh fruit and a candy bar along the trail. Other times, the chuck wagon follows closely behind the cattle and we'll have hot soup or chili. Cold water, soft drinks (we call it "pop") fruit juice or lemonade, coffee, tea and cocoa are available at all times.

 Dinner (Sample)

            Day 1:              Prime Rib, Ranch Spuds, Cowboy Beans

            Day 2:              Barbecued Chicken, Potato Salad, Green Beans

            Day 3:              Burritos, Chicken Enchiladas, Quesadillas

            Day 4:              Pot Roast, Peas & Mushrooms

            Day 5:              Barbecue Ribs (pork and beef), Buckaroo Spuds

            Day 6:              T-Bone Steak, Fried Potatoes & Onions, Corn

           Nightly:            Salad or Relish Tray

                                    Choice of Vegetable:  two at each dinner meal

                                    Bread:  Garlic, Grilled or Plain

                                    Salad Dressings:  Ranch, Low-Fat Ranch, French and Italian Dressings                     

                                    Condiments:  Sour Cream and Catsup

                                    Fruit:  Apples or oranges          Dessert:  Dutch Oven Cobblers or Cakes

Guests requiring any type of special dietary requirements are requested to notify us no later than two weeks prior to the start of their drive so that specific arrangements can be made.

Alcohol: We cannot provide alcohol, but we can pack any that you purcahse. If you did not purchase enough before the drive, contact Henry Barron in Camp. He goes to town and can make some purchases for you.

Moving Camp: You will need to place your sleeping bag, duffel bag and foam pad in the white gear trailer on the day that we move camp. The Trail Boss will let you know the night before if you'll need to pack up. Your belongings will go on to the next camp while you're out on the trail. If there's something you think you'll need during the day, take it with you.

Lodging and Privacy: Normally, we like to place unaccompanied males in one wall tent, unaccompanied females in another wall tent, and families in wall tents.  These tents are large, easily heated, essentially waterproof, and can house about six to eight people per tent.  We set these tents prior to the cattle drive.  It's a great way to build camaraderie among tent-mates, especially if we have competition between the tents in roping, fly-fishing, softball games, or tug-o-wars.  If you are coming with a group, please let us know in advance so that all of your group may be housed in one tent if possible.

However, we recognize that many people prefer privacy.  If this is the case with you, we do provide small two-person tents for couples, parent/child combos, or for anyone who just wants to be by him or herself.  These small tents are put up and taken down by our camp staff on a daily basis.  The disadvantages to the small tents are that they can be a little cramped for space and we cannot place a heater in them.  Please decide what you want to do and let us know on the information sheet.  Wall tents are not available just for couples.  Remember, this is not the Hilton or even Motel 6 for that matter.

Riding

Riding Experience: Try to be as honest as you can about your riding experience. We have over sixty horses to choose from, so we are sure to match you up with a horse appropriate to your experience level.

Itinerary

1^st Drive:  Probably the longest drive, round up cattle and take them about 40 miles
2^nd Drive: Drive cattle from winter pastures to summer pastures
3^rd Drive: This time we drive cattle from summer pastures to other summer pastures

Sample Itinerary - Subject to changes

Day 1: Arrive or be picked up at the Bozeman Airport between 12- 1 PM. We'll transport you to Townsend. There's time for necessary shopping, and getting a fishing license, if you plan to fish. We'll drive you to the first camp for dinner, getting acquainted, and orientation.

Day 2: Breakfast at camp. Introduction to horse, familiarization with horse and tack. Basic riding class and safety briefing. Short trail ride. Lunch. Roundup of cattle in surrounding foothills, corral cattle for the night. Dinner, entertainment/fishing, etc. Briefing on next day's plan, sing-along.

Day 3: Breakfast. Saddle up horses. Start cattle on the trail. Lunch along the trail. Trail cattle during the afternoon to a holding pen, where they'll be corralled for the night. Dinner at new camp. Entertainment/fishing/possibly a trip to the hot springs, briefing for tomorrow, sing-along.

Day 4: Breakfast. Continue along the trail until lunch at noon. Move on up the trail and corral cattle for the night. Dinner at new camp. Entertainment, briefing for next day, sing-along.

Day 5: Breakfast. Gather up cattle and trail them the last few miles to their summer pasture. Lunch along the trail. Ride to camp in late afternoon. Relax, swim/fish, and get ready for dinner and barn dance.

Day 6: Sleep in! Breakfast. Trail ride. Break camp and drive back to the valley for lunch and relaxation. Time for touring and shopping if you like. Steak dinner and closing program (with awards) at ranch. Sleep at ranches of hosts, or motel...your preference.

Day 7: Breakfast. No activities. We will deliver you to the airport. 

--Subject to change--
            

Rates and Dates for Big Belt Cattle Drive

Dates Note:

Other Info
Meeting: Townsend
Airport: Bozeman
Transfer: Bozeman airport between 12pm-1pm

Climate:

Hot, cold, sunny, windy, warm, cool, drafty, exquisite...That will cover most of it. Anything is possible in Montana's weather! The cattle have to go when it's time, so we've experienced every kind of weather, and are prepared to make the best of it. Think layers in clothing, and bring raingear.

 June can be quite rainy and cold, with temperatures often ranging from the high-30s at night and early morning to the 80s during the day.  August temperatures may be a little warmer, from lows in the 30s or 40s to highs in the upper-90s.  We cannot emphasize enough how important it is that you remain warm and dry.  If it does rain, you will never regret having good rain gear with both boot and hat covers (we'll have extra hat covers). 

Luggage: Your luggage will get dusty and dirty. We suggest a duffel bag or two. Your bags will be loaded in a gear trailer and traveling along a dusty road on the day we change camp.

We will provide sleeping pad, tent and tag.  Sleeping bags and pads are provided for international guests.  Otherwise, please bring your own, warm, sleeping bag. All items except your sleeping bag should be able to fit into a duffel bag not to exceed 60 lbs (27 kg).

It is important that you bring warm and dry clothing. May and June can be cool and it can snow around that time of the year. Fortunately we haven't really had to cope with extremely bad weather, but preparation is everything.