Little Belt Mountains Ride

Introduction
Montana USA
Explore the surrounding area of the Judith River Headwaters and the Little Belt Mountains & ride where the "cowboy artist" Charlie Russell once rode.

The 520 acres ranch is located at the base of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest allowing guests to explore the mountains by horseback, fish for trout in cascading streams, hike to see the bountiful wildlife, or take guided tours into the National Forest.

Horseback riding is what the Ranch is known for. We have horses suitable to every level of experience. You'll traverse the wide-open prairies, ride along—and through—the Judith River and explore the mountains of the Helena Lewis & Clark National Forest. For more experienced riders, trotting and loping can be incorporated into rides where the terrain allows. For those who would like to get more comfortable in the saddle, lessons are available for an additional charge.

There are plenty of activities from archery to hiking to shooting. For the more adventurous, take a UTV tour to the Helena Lewis & Clark National Forest and hike to the nearby caves. Or visit nearby Sapphire Village for a taste of the local culture. The nearby mine is the only place where the precious Yogo Sapphires can be found.

Accomodation


Accommodations
This is a stationary ride, so all nights are spent at the same location.

Description
You stay in a historic guest ranch that dates back to the 1800s in central Montana. At 5000 feet in elevation, it enjoys the best of Montana’s weather with a host of activities for your family and friends to enjoy!
The ranch is divided into different buildings:
- The lodge is where guests can gather for meals in the dining room and relax in the large living area.
- The historic red barn, built in 1902, is great fun for evening entertainment and group activities like square dancing or charades! Plus it can be set up for basketball and badminton.

Your package includes accommodation in lodge rooms but it is possible to upgrade to a cabin or even the ranch house.
Each room is equipped with basic toiletries, a hair dryer and free wi-fi. There are no televisions in the rooms.

Guests can enjoy our glass-enclosed indoor hot tub and soothe tired muscles from a day of adventuring or to warm up on chillier evenings!

There are no guest laundry facilities on the ranch, except in the Ranch House, however, our housekeeping team would be happy to do a separate cycle for you for a small gratuity. Please arrange this with ranch staff.

Please, note there is no cell service at the ranch, but we do have wi-fi available in all guest areas (public areas and guest rooms). If your cell phone is capable of wi-fi calling, we recommend you set it up prior to your trip.
For emergency calls, our staff can assist with the use of a landline.

Room Options



Buffalo Rooms (Lodge)
Our main lodge has 3 guest rooms called the Buffalo Rooms. Two rooms are fitted with king beds and the remaining room has a king and twin bed



Historic Cabins - upgrade
Our historic cabins offer spectacular views of the ranch and surrounding landscape with fireplaces, living areas and wet bars or a kitchenette depending on the selected cabin.

Ranch House - upgrade
For larger groups or families, our Ranch House is the perfect fit. It has four bedrooms (two king bedrooms and two queen bedrooms) and three bathrooms and comfortably sleeps up to eight people.

Room Occupancy
Single occupancy is only possible in the Buffalo rooms and the Homesteader Cabin. If you are willing to share a room but we are unable to find a roommate for you, the single supplement fee applies.


Meals
All meals are included on this trip from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on the last day.

Gather in the Lodge dining room for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Start your day with homemade breakfast classics: pancakes and waffles; biscuits and gravy; breakfast burritos, with lighter, continental style options also available.
Before dinner, gather in the Lodge for cocktails and then dine on steak, pork chops, pastas, fresh trout and more—with a roaring fire in the wood-burning fireplace on chilly evenings.

Our Liquor License application with the State of Montana is currently pending. Our current alcohol policy is BYOB. Once our liquor license is approved, we will have beer and wine available for your purchase.

Dietary Restrictions
Our kitchen is happy to accommodate special dietary needs or requests with advance notice. Please notify us of any dietary restrictions at the time of booking.
 

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding


Riding
Ride group sizes do vary depending on the type of ride (slow or fast) and the number of guests we have. Generally we try to keep around 6 or so guests per wrangler. Slow rides will generally be larger in group size than fast rides.
The rides are broken down into slow and fast rides, not necessarily by riding ability, but riders do have to be able to pass a fast ride test/lope check before going on a fast ride. Some of the rides also contain some tougher terrain than others, so terrain can also dictate the difficulty of a ride.

Child Policy
Per our insurance, children must be at least 5 years old to ride. After completing a slow ride, guests 8 years and older may test to qualify for faster riding (trotting and loping on parts of the trail designated by the wrangler and the terrain). Archery is available for children 5 years and older. .22 caliber shooting is available for those 8 years and older. Clay pigeon shooting is for those 16 years and older. Children must be at least 100 lbs and 5'2" to ride the e-bikes.
The ranch is the perfect vacation for families to enjoy the activities, atmosphere and amenities together. Please note that we do not offer childcare or a children’s program.

Pet Policy
We do not allow pets on the ranch.

Itinerary
 

Guests are welcome to do activities day of arrival and departure. We ride twice daily except for Sundays when the horses have the afternoon off. Generally, our morning rides go out around 9:00AM and afternoon rides around 2:00PM.
If you would like to ride on your day of arrival, we suggest arriving at the ranch no later than 1:00PM that day.
 
Rides range from about 1-3 hours depending on where we're headed. Our riding will be across wide open meadows and up mountainous pine-lined trails, many rides also include river crossings.

New guests will take a slow walking ride first, and then can move onto more advanced rides with trotting and loping if you demonstrate you can safely control your horse.

Whether you’re an experienced rider, or you’ve never been on a horse; we have the riding and horses for you. Our wranglers will match you with an appropriate horse for your skill level.
Ride in mountain terrain, lope across wide open fields and traverse the Judith River all from the back of your trusty steed. You might ride back and forth across the River, to the local Elk Preserve or up to Porcupine Ridge for a breakfast cookout. With our neighboring 2.8 million acres of the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest, there's endless trails to explore under the Big Sky.

Sometimes, guests get the opportunity do move cattle for a couple of hours.



Non Riding Activities

Fishing
You are welcome to fish on your own at the ranch. We have a small selection of basic fly fishing equipment available to borrow. We recommend you bring your own equipment if you are interested in fishing. The first mile of the Judith River flows through the Ranch.
A Montana State Fishing License is required. You can purchase a fishing license for two consecutive days, ten consecutive days or the whole season. Pricing varies depending on residency.

Guided UTV Tours
Discover the varied terrain around the ranch and visit the historic Hoover Cabin. UTV Tours include a trip up to the historic Hoover Cabin and the nearby Yogo Mine. The mine is the only place where the precious Yogo Sapphire can be found. Prospector Jake Hoover discovered them in the late 1800s. 
We also have access to the 2.8 million acres of National Forest land around the ranch, where you might see moose, antelope, elk and mountain lions.

Fat Tire Bikes
See the surrounding Montana countryside from a different saddle on our Fat Tire E-Bikes. Peddle on your own or get some assistance from the high-powered motor capable of 20 mph speeds.
Ride along the Yogo Creek to the river crossing. The Yogo Creek is named after the valuable Yogo Sapphire that can only be found in this area. You can also take the road to the middle fork of the Judith River, and explore the surrounding landscape of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.
Children must be at least 100 lbs and 5'2" to ride the e-bikes.

Shooting & Archery
Practice your marksmanship with our safe and fun sport shooting and archery programs. Clay pigeon and target shooting also available.

Hiking
The ranch borders the Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest, with exceptional nature to explore all around. See the wildlife and landscape Montana has to offer, and explore the nearby caves for some spelunking.

Rates and Dates for Little Belt Mountains Ride

Dates Note: Shorter stays possible (min. 3 nights)
Sold out (as of 6/13/2023): June 25, July 25-27, Sept. 22, 2023

Other Info
Meeting: Ranch near Sapphire Village
Airport: Great Falls International Airport
Transfer: --

Climate:
                                                Sapphire Village area