You want to visit the CWR, but maybe someone in your party isn’t excited by the idea of straddling a thousand-pound animal and riding into bear-infested wilderness.  Fear not!  Other options are available as well.  From relaxing afternoons on the porch, to pulse-pounding whitewater adventures, there’s something for everyone in the Gallatin Canyon.

 

Fun and Games

In the rec hall, we have a pool table and Foosball table, while just outside you can play corn-hole or horseshoe, or try your hand at roping a dummy bull.  On Friday nights, you can hit the dance floor to the smooth notes of a local band at our weekly cookout.  For the kids (or kids at heart), we have a trampoline and a seesaw like no other.  Finally, every evening you can feel like part of the family while sitting around the fire, cooking s’mores, and joining in an impromptu musical performance by the one and only Kurt Puckett.

 

Water Fun

Venture a little off ranch for adventures on the Gallatin River.  During the spring months you can hop on nature’s roller coaster with Geyser Whitewater Expeditions in Big Sky.  Once the river calms down in the summer, you borrow some of our tubes, drive up the road a bit, and float back to the ranch.  Or if you fancy yourself a fisher, grab one of our poles and settle down on the banks of the Gallatin River or the Taylor Fork Creek, both within easy walking distance of your cabin.  You can also rent equipment, or hire a guide through Gallatin River Guides in Big Sky for some more serious action.

 

Up High, Down Low

If you’re the squirrel monkey of the family then zip-lining could be the sport for you.  Take to the canopy with Yellowstone Zipline or Yellowstone Aerial Adventures for climbing and gliding.  Maybe you prefer to keep your feet on the ground; you are a non-rider after all.  Numerous hiking trails of a variety of terrain and intensity can be found minutes from the ranch.  One trail even starts right behind the Lodge and takes you up Benson Point for a great view of the canyon.

 

Tourist Time

You’re on vacation, literally in sight of Yellowstone National Park.  If you’ve never seen Old Faithful, the crowds are totally worth it.  Pack a lunch and find a seat before the other tourists start crowding the boardwalk, and you’ll have a great view of the most famous geyser in the world.  To get your souvenirs, visit the town of West Yellowstone, on the border of the park, and be sure to check out the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center for close encounters of the furry kind.  Another good spot for shopping is Big Sky, just fifteen minutes up the road, home to the celebrity-populated ski resort.  If you’re up for a bit longer of a drive, go ahead and explore Bozeman.  If you flew in, Bozeman is not the small town you drove through to reach the ranch; that’s Belgrade.  Located fifteen minutes west of the airport, on the interstate, Bozeman is home to a plethora of breweries and restaurants, and even has a pretty good nightlife scene for a small city.  Be sure to visit the Museum of the Rockies while you’re there, especially if you have dinosaur-crazy kids (or adults).

 

So if you reserved as a non-rider and are now fretting over what to do… never fear.  Check out some of the array of activities southwest Montana has to offer.