The Ranch at Rock Creek
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To the uninitiated, thoughts and opinions of Montana are derived from movies (think Legends of the Fall meets A River Runs Through It) or images of endless acres of pristine land against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.
More than just a flyover state, there is good reason Montana is on everyone’s bucket list. If you have experienced Big Sky Country up close and personal, then you know that the 4lst state is unique. This is a place you truly need to experience to believe.
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Born out of Connecticut financier Jim Manley’s vision of nirvana in Montana, the Ranch at Rock Creek is its own little slice of heaven. Selected after an extensive search of 500 properties for the perfect dude ranch, the result is the world’s only Forbes Travel Guide five-star ranch, giving home on the range a luxe new meaning.
Located in an old mining town of Philipsburg near Missoula, Butte, and Helena, the idyllic all-inclusive ranch is just the right mix of Ralph Lauren-styled, one-of-a-kind accommodations coupled with an array of adventures suitable for families and adults alike, making it the perfect place to celebrate or unwind no matter the season.
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There is no bad time to visit, with many a guest known to usher in each season at the ranch. Winter (particularly popular during Christmas and New Year’s Eve, so book ahead) affords snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing on the riverside trails. Or, there’s downhill skiing at nearby Discovery Ski Area, where no lift lines and 67 trails are just a few of the reasons National Geographic named Philipsburg one of North America’s Best Secret Ski Towns. Ice skating and a game of hockey on the pond at Bikini Beach are also a fun way to spend a winter afternoon.
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Summer activities include horseback riding where a few of the herd are former wild Mustangs. (Be sure to request a visit to the afternoon feeding as the horses’ daily race to their snack is not to be missed.) With 6,600 acres just waiting to be explored, wranglers will pair you with the perfect horse according to your experience level.
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For the gun enthusiast, the sporting clays course features challenges for every level, and pistol and rifle ranges and trap and skeet are also favorite pursuits. Mountain biking, hiking, wildlife viewing (rams, elk, deer, and bald eagles), photography class, and yoga can also be added to your itinerary, and fly fishing is extremely popular on the aptly named Rock Creek, where four miles of mountain streams house seven species of fish such as Rocky Mountain whitefish and the Westslope cutthroat. Weather permitting, many of the activities are available year-round.
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Life on the Ranch is both laid-back and refined. With 29 distinctive luxury accommodations, your hardest choice will be where to hang your cowboy hat. Ranging from historic barn suites and rooms at the Granite Lodge to one-room cabin suites and five-bedroom family friendly log homes where no two rooms on the property are alike, there is something for every taste and need. Perhaps the most popular requests are the 10 luxury canvas cabins, which take the term “glamping” to a new level. Many are designed with a sense of place with Western art, canopy covered beds, heated screened porches, wood-burning stoves, claw-foot bathtubs, and outdoor fire pits all set against a backdrop of Rock Creek.
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Much of the evening action takes place at the Granite Lodge where executive chef Josh Drage serves up ranch-to-table delicacies such as braised Montana elk chuck roast, country fried bison steak, and an assortment of home-grown vegetables coupled with a stellar wine and craft beer list. After dinner activities include billiards or bowling at the Silver Dollar bowling alley or bellying up to the bar on the kitschy-yet-chic leather saddle seats. A private screening room offers movies (Westerns, of course), or there’s weekly dances in the Buckle Barn following a round of karaoke.
Then again, you could end your day with a view of the nighttime sky where the stars feel close enough to touch.
This is Montana at its best.
Getting There: Delta and United have daily flights from Nashville to Helena with stops in Denver or Salt Lake City. The Ranch will make round trip airport pickups for up to seven people, or you can rent a car.