Transfer are available from Billings or Cody

2009 Special Weeks:
May 17 to 24 
-  Special Horse Whisperer Week  (+$400)
May 24 to June 06 
-  Weeks include Branding weekends (1800 calves need to be branded)
June 20 to 27
- this week includes a day of "Reenactment of the the "Custer Battlefield" (+$100)
June 27 to July 5 (extra night charge)
- this week includes a day of "Reenactment of the the "Custer Battlefield" with the 4th of July parade  (+$100)
From the End of May to early September
- Weekly Rodeo spectacle in Cody  (rafting options)



Activites are scheduled around the ranch and the cattle. The ranch operates their cattle on three different mountaon ranges
- Pryor Mountains Range, Beartooth Range and the Bull Mountain Range. Depending on your riding ability and the time of year, you may be riding on each one of them during the week (some transfers may be necessary in the morning to get to these remote places)
Here are some examples of what we (you) will be doing: moving the cattle from one pasture to another; riding through the herd checking health and growth; riding the fence line and at times having to mend a section of it; irrigating hay and oat fields, and so on.
But after the work is done there’s often time for leisurely rides to see the Indian pictographs or driving up on the Pryor Mountains to experience a panorama of beautiful wild flowers and the wild mustangs of the Pryor mountains. In our new arena, guests are able to ride faster, run barrels, pole bend, and participate in 0 Mok See games, team penning and ranch roping.



The type of work is dictated by the seasons 
We have a saying at the Lonesome Spur . . . “all activities are dictated by the cows, weather and Lonnie”. Certainly the cows and weather have far more to do with what we are doing and where we are going, but the plan can change quickly.
April – Spring is arriving and we are starting to prepare the ranch for the year’s activities. This month we spend a lot of time opening up the ranch and riding the horses to get them back in shape. Most of the areas activities have not opened into full swing yet, so we stay pretty close to home.
May – Spring has sprung and we now start the ranching duties in full swing. Starting May 10^th we’ll be Branding and working with the cows and calves at the Pryor Mountains. Following this will be the same activities at 30-Mile Ranch and Grove Creek Ranch. Anyone wanting to take part in real cowboy activities, long days and hard work, May is the month to look at. The biggest highlight for the month is the one week horse training conducted by Marc Dixon. Marc and his family come to the ranch twice a year to work with our young stock and demonstrate the newest version of humanely working with the young horses and getting them prepared for their lives as ranch horses. This is an experience all horse lovers should not miss. 
June – We’ll be finishing most of branding and preparation for the year at the various ranches by mid-June. After this we fall back into maintenance mode at the various ranches. This will include checking the cattle regularly for the need for doctoring and moving the cattle from range to range. The moving of the cattle is a vital part of the rancher’s year to ensure the ranges are grazed on evenly. This affords more relaxed riding days but a lot of fun working and pushing the cattle from one location to another. Rodeos and all of the area activities are in full swing throughout June with the highlight being the Custer Re-enactment. Lonesome Spur has made special arrangements with the Realbird Family (Crow Reservation) to ride the Custer battle area. Covering over 15 miles, this ride coupled with the camping, dinner and stories from the Realbird Clan is well worth planning your trip around. 
July – Summer’s in Montana are hot in the daytime and cool in the evenings. Much of our ranching time involves checking, doctoring or moving the cattle from one range to another. Due to the hot daytime temperatures we start early in the morning and try to finish our day shortly after lunch. This allows us the opportunity for other afternoon activities and the possibility of some shorter pleasure rides in the evening. Again, all of the summer activities are in full gear highlighted by the 4^th of July celebrations in Red Lodge.  
August – The hot summer days continue and we maintain the early schedule for riding and working the cattle. The late sunsets allow us to take some short pleasure rides on some evenings. The highlight of off-ranch activities for the month is the Crow Agency Pow Wow near Hardin. This is the single largest collection of teepees (1,400) with crafts, dancing, local customs and three days of great rodeo at the Crow Rodeo Grounds. If you want to get a great flavor of the Native Indian customs, this is the time to look at.
September – At the ranch we are all looking forward to the cooler temperatures arriving and with it the change in our standard weekly duties. Slowly as the month goes on we start gathering the cattle from the high country and slowly push them down to the lower ranges. As the month progresses we get them closer and closer to the corrals. Due to much of these activities taking more time in the saddle, we are very busy all month on the gathering and preparations. However, we do take the time to host Marc Dixon back for the second of his two weeks of horse training. If you couldn’t make the spring date, plan to make this second date. We’ve had local folks attend the training that have been breaking and training horses the “old way” all their lives that leave Marc’s session with notebooks full of pointers and itching to try this new gentler way.
October – The months are clicking off but the work is longer and harder as the months go by. October is the main gathering month. We now finish bringing all of the cattle in and start the process of sorting and weaning the cows and calves. After the sorting the cows have to be doctored and “preg tested” (pregnancy testing) to determine when they will be delivering the calves in either the spring or summer. If you’ve never taken part in the sorting and preg testing, this is an experience well worth planning for. This past year we had a flash snowstorm dropping 40” of snow on the level in Red Lodge and 24” to 30” in the Pryor Mountains. Lonnie got an emergency call after the snowstorm that the cows on the Pryor Mountains had their feed buried and were eating pine needles. What this means to a rancher is if you don’t get them out of their immediately, the cows will abort their calves and you have no replacements for the next year. We reorganized our day and with a dozen riders rode six miles back into the mountains to blaze a trail and then push the cattle back to the lower areas. All the guests at the ranch assisted and this was a highlight in all of their trips. We can’t guarantee snow every year, but when it hits we ride anyway and sometimes have these extraordinary experiences. From an off ranch activity we have the annual NILE Rodeo in Billings. We usually go two nights and with all of the other activities in the month, the NILE offers us a nice break to kick back and relax. 
November – The end is definitely in sight. November is spent with some finishing off of the sorting and preg testing of the cows and moving some cows to their winter homes. Many of these are sent to feedlots to winter and then brought back in the spring to be pushed back up onto the various ranges. The weather generally is colder and most of the activities center around the ranch itself.
December – Generally we have no guests for the month and with Lonnie’s close association to rodeo we try and make arrangements to head to Las Vegas for a few days of the NFR (National Finals Rodeo). When we get back it’s immediately back to fine tuning the ranch activities and start making plans for the next year..

Overnight trip: We will have an overnight camp once weekly overlooking the Bighorn and the Pryor mountains, where you can sit by the campfire and experience real Dutch oven cooking and hear local folk lore and family history, wake up to cowboy coffee and breakfast.

River float trip: We also have a weekly river float where you can enjoy fly-fishing down the river or just go with the flow and watch the native wildlife on the river banks, whilst enjoying the beautiful sunset the choice is yours! This trip is only available when the river conditions are right and is not guaranteed.

Off Ranch Activities!
While vacationing with us, guests have opportunity for off-ranch activities. The availability of these activities depends on the season, we usually visit a selection of these activities once weekly and are included and transportation is provided (part of your transfer fee).  If you drive in on your own, you are welcome to follow the ranch vehicle - if you want to be driven, there is a small charge.
A few examples are:
Viewing the Wild Horse Range in the Pryor Mountains; Touring the Buffalo Bill Museum and visiting the Old Trail Town in Cody; Reliving the Battle of the Little Big Horn near the Custer Battlefield; Experiencing the breath-taking Beartooth Highway up to Yellowstone; White water rafting -- Cody, Wyoming ; Rodeos - either watch local rodeo or whilst visiting Cody see the Cody nite rodeo Golfing --for spectacular scenery, there’s an excellent 18-hole course is only 28 miles from the Lonesome Spur, right in the shadow of Beartooth mountains.
Guided Tours of Yellowstone park are available at additional cost and must be pre-booked with the ranch, the tour includes an overnight stay, and takes approx one and a half days to see the park, including old faithful. Prices can vary depending on which time of year you chose to see the park. Minimum party to do this tour is 2 persons. We are excited to be able to offer a holiday you won’t forget. We only take 8 - 10 guests at a time on the ranch, so everyone feels a part of the family atmosphere and ranching lifestyle.

The Continental Divide traverses the western half of the State in roughly a north-south direction.  To the west of the Divide, Montana is drained by the Kootenai, Clark Fork, and Flathead Rivers into the Pacific Ocean through the Columbia River.  Many of the tributary streams in this region have their origin in the high western slopes of the Rockies.  Most streams traverse narrow canyons, at least through parts of their length, affording many valuable waterpower sites.  A relatively small area located between the Hudson Bay Divide and the Rocky Mountains is drained by the St. Mary River, which finds its way to Hudson Bay through the Saskatchewan River.  The remainder of the State is drained by the Missouri River, which is formed by the confluence of the Gallatin, Madison, and Jefferson Rivers at Three Forks, and travels northward through deep canyons in the Big Belt Mountains, and flows through the lower lying northeastern portion of the State.  The Yellowstone River, the principal tributary of the Missouri in Montana and which has its source in Wyoming, drains the southeastern section of the State and has its confluence with the Missouri just east of the Montana-North Dakota line.

The Continental Divide exerts a marked influence on the climate of adjacent areas.  West of the Divide the climate might be termed a modified north Pacific coast type, while to the east, climatic characteristics are decidedly continental.  On the west of the mountain barrier winters are milder, precipitation is more evenly distributed throughout the year, summers are cooler in general, and winds are lighter than on the eastern side.  There is more cloudiness in the west in all seasons, humidity runs a bit higher, and the growing season is shorter than in the eastern plains areas.

During the summer months hot weather occurs fairly often in the eastern parts of the State.  The highest ever observed was 117° at Glendive on July 20, 1893, and Medicine Lake on July 5, 1937.  Temperatures of over 100° sometimes occur in the lower elevation areas west of the Divide during the summer, but hot spells are less frequent and of shorter duration than in the plains sections.  Hot spells nowhere become oppressive, however, because summer nights almost invariably are cool and pleasant.  In the areas with elevations above 4,000 feet, extremely hot weather is almost unknown.  Summer days, however, are usually warm enough for light summer clothing.

Average Mean Temperatures/Precipitation: 
                    Low         High         Rain
• March         20             50             1”
• April            30             60             1.5”
• May             40            70              2.5”
• June             48             80             1.5”
• July              53             90              .8”
• August          50             90              .7”
• September    40             75             1.25”
• October        30             65             1.25”
• November     20            45               .7”

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.

Note: Bring your own alcohol! Drinking Age for Alcohol: 21 yrs old (it is recommended for all persons under 35 to carry ID)

Note: Gratuities and transfers can be paid by cash or credit card- take some cash with you (10% of trip cost) it you'd like to pay by cash.

Lodging-- The lodging on the ranch is in cabins and the "bunk house".
There are two log cabins, decorated in western theme with log furniture and  separate restroom/shower;
The bunk house - each room has a bathroom and private deck - some rooms have Satellite TV/CD players. The rooms are decorated in a western or lodge theme. The bunk house has a double room with king size bed, one twin room with two twin beds and one single room. Indian teepees and a covered wagon can also be used for children lodgings.
All ranch accommodations have air-conditioning, heating and a refrigerator. 
We provide complementary fresh fruit, snacks and drinks in each room for our guests enjoyment, a gift pack of toiletries are provides for your comfort.



Spa Facilities -- We have a Catalina hot-tub where you can soak away your aches and pains after a hard days play at the ranch, relax and watch the stars in the evening in the hot-tub, or perhaps enjoy a soothing aromatherapy massage in a real native American teepee.

Meals -- Meals are served in the lodge, family style. At the Lonesome Spur, we have a saying, Keep the cooks happy and everyone will be happy.’ And this is hard NOT to do -- EAT! You may need to let your belt out a notch or two after spending time at the Lonesome Spur! Fresh-baked breads, mouth-watering and decadent desserts, salads, vegetables out of the garden, and good Montana beef A typical days menu: Breakfast -- golden buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup, scrambled eggs, crisp fried bacon, cantaloupe and orange juice; Lunch (Out On the range) -- deli sandwiches, macaroni salad, apples, chips, banana bars and candy bars; Supper -- barbequed Steak, twice-baked potatoes, fresh green salad, corn-on-the-cob, and for dessert? -- homemade apple pie! How can you pass up 21 meals like that? For the light eater, we have fruit, muffins, salads and many veggies. If you have special dietary requests, please let use know in advance and we will make every effort to accommodate you. But please remember that we are a beef ranch, and most all of our meals are centered around meat.

Passports
Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in the chart ; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy (see Contact Addresses).
Passport Note
(a) For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program (see below), passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry.
(b) All travellers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program require individual machine-readable passports. Children included on a parent's passport also now require their own machine-readable passport. Travellers not in possession of machine-readable passports will require a valid USA entry visa.
(c) Passports issued on or after 26 October 2005 will need to have a biometric identifier in order for the holder to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Machine-readable passports issued between 26 October 2005 and 25 October 2006 require a digital photograph printed on the data page or an integrated chip with information from the data page. Machine-readable passports issued on or after 26 October 2006 will require an integrated chip with information from the data page (e-passport).

The US has announced new measures that require all travellers to provide details online 72 hours prior to travel.
ESTA: The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) came into force on 12 January 2009. It is a fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA applications must be submitted at least 72 hours before travel to the USA. Some websites may charge you for the service but you can apply online for free at www.dhs.gov. The granting of an ESTA does not guarantee entry to the USA.

New Requirements for Travellers: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport, or other approved document, when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced on 1 June 2009.

For further details about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit the website of the US Department of State: (website: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html).

Visas
Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except:
1. nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa.
Visa Note
(a) Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are not eligible to enter the USA without a visa. (b) All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. (d) To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport, for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days. (e) Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form. Note: Airlines are also required to collect passenger details, including the address of their first night's accommodation in the USA, before they board the aircraft. (f) 2. Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Protected Person, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. A passport which states holder has right of abode or indefinite leave to remain in the UK does not qualify for visa free travel. (g) A visa does not expire with the expiry of the holder’s passport. An unexpired, endorsed visa in an expired passport may be presented for entry into the USA, as long as the visa itself has not been cancelled, is undamaged, is less than 10 years old and is presented with a valid non-expired passport, provided that both passports are for the same nationality. (h) Nationals of countries not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Types of Visa and Cost
Tourist, Business, Transit and Student: US$131.
Validity
Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally six months; there is, however, no set time.
Applications to:
Embassy or consulate (see Contact Addresses).
Working Days Required
Usually five after interview. Some cases may take up to 12 weeks – check with embassy/consulate.