Perhaps it’s the fresh country air, or the upscale, yet casual feel that permeates the resort, I can’t put a finger on it.
My recent stay at The Resort at Paws Up, an all-inclusive working ranch in Montana, has all the ingredients to make a magical family stay. The Resort at Paws Up is perfect for families, multigenerational travel, even adult-only trips of couples or friends.
Here’s just a few reasons this is the best spot for you if you are wanting a true luxury ranch experience for your next vacation.
1. Glamping
It all started here. The owners of the resort literally coined the term glamping for luxury camping and as their marketing professes, “this is roughing it in style.” Safari-style tent accommodations are tripped out with heated floors and full en-suites with two-bedroom options for those traveling with children.
Tent camps offer their own dedicated chef and mess hall for guests to enjoy meals on their own timeline.
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2. Luxury Montana Vacation Homes
When glamping isn’t your thing, the The Resort at Paws Up features luxury accommodations, too. There are several categories of rental homes.
Meadow Homes come with two bedrooms and bathrooms for families of four, hot tubs, and laundry located near the Village at Paws Up. The Big Timber homes range from one to three bedrooms and accommodate between four and eight guests.
For larger families who need more space, the Wilderness Estates have three king rooms, a chef’s kitchen, game room, and large vaulted ceiling living room.
The Blackfoot River Lodge, sleeping 8, is truly special in a remote location and four bedrooms overlooking the river. There is an additional one bedroom tent with two beds outside for additional sleeping space or a place to try glamping when you feel like it. All home rentals include a Lexus SUV to navigate the property.
For those traveling in larger groups or aren’t ready to take the plunge for a glamping tent, there are a series of private 2,3 and 4-bedroom estates throughout the property to provide all the niceties from home and a roof over your head. If you can’t decide, the resort offers stays to be split between the tents and homes so you can get a taste of both options!
Get VIP treatment at the Resort at Paws Up
Luxe Recess can upgrade your stay with these amazing amenities when you book with us:
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Daily full breakfast (included in rates)
- Complimentary round-trip private airport transfers
- Bottle of wine in room on arrival
- A $300 USD activity credit, to be utilized during stay
- Early check-in, late check-out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
Reach out for us to plan your Montana vacation.
3. Activities galore—no matter the season
You could be here for days and still not chip away at the extensive menu of more than 70 activities. Equine enthusiasts can saddle up for guided trail rides, cattle drives or the ever-popular cow croquet. There are wilderness adventures and outdoor activities please everyone.
Speed enthusiasts can ATV or UTV to the nearby Garnet Ghost town, the best preserved ghost town in the state.
Those wanting a slower pace can fly fish along the beautiful Blackfoot river, where A River Runs Through It was filmed.
In the warmer months, there’s archery, riflery, ax-tossing, aerial courses, skeet shooting, .22 shooting, mountain rappelling at Lookout Point, the famous view of Lewis & Clark, as well as a full Island Lodge adventure area at Salmon Lake for those wanting to jet ski, paddle board, wake board or enjoy the water sports.
If you visit in the winter, there is also cross country and down-hill skiing as well as skijoring, where you strap into skis and get pulled by a horse!
The Kids Corps of Discovery is the active children’s program that starts at age 3 and offers programming through age 12 featuring geocaching, archery, the Grizzlyman Fitness Trail and go-karting.
4. The Paws Up Resort Montana Culinary Experience
When you hear “all-inclusive” the immediate thought may drift to heat-lamp buffets and sugary well drinks. Not here. Culinary creativity is paramount with dinner locations changing locations throughout the week.
Enjoy family barbeques on the main lawn with live music, a chuck wagon picnic spread along the river, or rodeo dinners at the largest equine facility in Montana. Order gourmet pizza delivered to your door if you just want to stay in and enjoy the fire.
The culinary team boasts James Beard nominees, and the dishes they deliver reflect the locally sourced or inspired cuisine … think Elk sausage and huckleberry pancakes for breakfast with bison or short ribs and sweet gem lettuce salads with lemon and herbs for dinner.
5. The green o, Adults Only
The resort is amazingly family friendly if you want to bring along the kids or grand kids for a perfect multi-generational adventure. But if you are pining for an adult-only escape, the newly opened green o is an adults-only resort within the resort.
This new resort offering features 12 Scandinavian designed hauses. Wedged in the mountainside guests choose from four different stylings: Tree Haus, Green Haus, Round Haus, or Light Haus.
Floor to ceiling windows, spiral staircases, private hot tubs and hanging porch chairs make this the cocoon. Green o guests have access to all the amenities at the larger resort. Access to the green o is limited only to its guests and is secure behind gated access.
6. The Big Montana Sky
I had never been to Montana. I didn’t fully grasp what “big sky” meant, but you have plenty of space to take in nature around you. It’s the perfect place to disconnect and really focus on being present.
Wild long horns, buffalo and cattle dot the horizon from your porch. You can watch the ranch hands moving the herds of cattle and horses. Guests can witness what a full-time working Montana ranch looks like. With only about 275 guests at a time, each guest has about 135 acres to themselves!
The amount of land and beauty of it all is truly mind blowing!
Need more ideas for a dude ranch family vacation out west?
Luxe Recess can upgrade your stay with these amazing amenities when you book with us:
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Daily full breakfast (included in rates)
- Complimentary round-trip private airport transfers
- Bottle of wine in room on arrival
- A $300 USD activity credit, to be utilized during stay
- Early check-in, late check-out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
Reach out for us to plan your Montana vacation!