pack horse trips montana

Welcome to the 'Bob'

Tired of the stresses brought about by everyday hustle and bustle? Ever listened to a babbling stream and whispering pines while sleeping under the stars?  Join us in the vast Montana wilderness to channel your inner adventurer.  Enjoy views of land untouched by man from horseback, eat tasty meals cooked over campfires, and catch native trout from clear rocky bottomed rivers.  Whether your backcountry goals are relaxing in the fresh Montana air or embarking on a fair chase hunt, we will guide you on the adventure of your dreams.  Start planning your trip now! 

Since Deposits are non-refundable we recommend getting

Trip Insurance. Click the Link Below!

  https://www.montanaoutfitters.org/travelersinsurance/

About Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitters 

Specializing in backcountry horseback vacations through the summer and early fall, Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitters will guide you into the pristine wilderness of the "Bob" for an unforgettable experience.  Our pack trips are generally 5-9 days in length, with supplies and food packed in on mules. We travel on horseback, with days in the saddle ranging from 2-6 hours.  Our well-trained horses are suitable for all rider levels, so no riding experience is necessary.  Since sleeping under the stars isn't for everyone, we pack in tents and cots to help assure a good night's rest.  Waking up is easy when you breathe in the crisp morning air mixed with the smell of cowboy coffee and the campfire it's prepared over.  Layover days can be spent simply relaxing, or exploring all the "Bob" has to offer, ranging from hiking rocky mountain peaks to fishing crystal-clear streams.  Scrumptious, healthy meals are prepared by our talented camp cook, leaving you with a full belly ready for nights capped off by camaraderie around the campfire.  Your safety and comfort are of the upmost importance to us.  Our knowledgeable guides will help attain each of those, allowing you to sit back and enjoy the majestic landscapes, flora, and wildlife we encounter th roughout the trip. 

We also have guided fair chase elk, bear, and deer hunts in the fall and spring bear hunts available. Check out the 'Big Game Hunts' tab to learn more.   

About the 'Bob'

Named after an early forester and conservationist, the Bob Marshall Wilderness is over 1.5 million acres of roadless terrain, leaving it as one of the most completely preserved mountain ecosystems in the world. It contains the kind of wilderness most people can only imagine; rugged peaks, alpine lakes, grassy meadows, shimmering streams, and big river valleys.

The Wilderness runs for 60 miles along the Continental Divide, with elevations ranging from 4,000 feet to more than 9,000 feet. A huge escarpment called the Chinese Wall highlights the Bob's vast beauty, with an average height of more than 1,000 feet and a length of 22 miles.

With more than 1,000 miles of a well-developed trail system, the 'Bob' is prime location for horse back and mule-pack trips. It s array of wildlife also allows for trophy fishing and hunting trips, all of which are available through Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitters! 

Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitters is owned and operated by Trent Osburn. Trent is a native to Montana and has ample experience in the backcountry. Growing up hunting with his dad and brothers, and outfitting prior to buying Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitters, Trent has the expertise and knowledge to guide you through the trip of a lifetime in the most unforgettable way possible. 

Trent Osburn

Owner/ hunting guide

Chelsea Abbott 

Packer/Camp Cook 

Emily Lampman

Packer/hunting guide 

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406 Wilderness Outfitters

Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitter

Scenic Horse Pack Trips

We offer guided scenic horse pack trips into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Outfitted with gentle horses and experienced guides, our guests venture into the vast, untouched wilderness of the Bob Marshall Complex for one of the great adventures the West has to offer. At the end of a 28-mile trail ride into the wilderness, our base camp awaits at the edge of a beautiful mountain stream and is just a short walk away from the legendary fishing opportunities of the South Fork of the Flathead River.

Scenic Horse Pack Trip Itinerary

The first day of the trip you will arrive at the Holland Lake Trailhead or Meadow Creek Trailhead, depending on where we are starting off the trip. Once we meet you, we will introduce you to your horse and get your saddle adjusted to your individual needs. We will show you a few tips on how to ride and direct your horse and try to have everyone on the trail by 8:30am. The ride into Holbrook basecamp is 25 miles from Meadow Creek Trailhead and 28 miles from Holland Lake Trailhead.

Once at camp you can cool down with fresh mountain spring water, enjoy some appetizers, read a book in the shade of the camp hammock, toss some horseshoes or get settled into your wall tent and then freshen up for a home cooked dinner around our long family-style table in the cook tent.

Wake up to fresh coffee and homemade breakfast. Then pack a lunch for your outing later that day. Take the second day to relax and rejuvenate close to camp, where you can fish the South Fork or White River easily within walking distance from camp, swim in many of the deep holes, or stretch out after the long ride in. Horses can be made available for you if you wish to fish further from camp or do one of the many side trips to see the awesome sights of the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

The rest of the trip will be tailored to your interests and can include:

• A spectacular day ride to the largest lake in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Big Salmon Lake, where you can fish, cool off, or even swim with our horses in the lake
• An unforgettable ride up to view the Chinese Wall

• Day trip options to the top of various mountain peaks for spectacular views (Charlotte, Scar Face, Turtle Mountain, Rampart, etc.)
• A day float on small one-person rafts that we can pack up river to the Bartlett Creek area and you can float and fish your way back to Holbrook
• A day float from Holbrook down river to Big or Little Salmon creeks, where we would meet up with a horse and a pack animal to bring you back to camp

Back at camp we will serve you appetizers and a delicious dinner. After dinner you can sit around the campfire and listen to stories and play campfire games.

We have an early breakfast and pack up all of your gear and prepare for the ride back to the trailhead. We will be arriving at the trail head around mid-afternoon. We always love to see your pictures, so please send them to us so that we can share them on our sites.

Additional Information

• Gear List for Scenic Horse Pack Trip

2020 & 2021

Scenic horse pack trip dates.

• July 4 – 11 (8 days)
• July 14 – July 21 (8 days)
• July 24- July 31 (8 days)
• August 8 – 15 (8 days)
• Trips can be customized, email for specific details.

All-Inclusive Trip Prices

To reserve a date see our policies.

• 5 Day Trips – $2,000 per person
• 7 Day Trips – $2,800 per person
• 8 Day Trips – $3,200 per person

Scenic Horseback Trip Photos

Testimonials

When I was looking for a great trip and adventure for my 40th birthday, I knew that I wanted something special and unique. A Montana wilderness trip with my college buddies was something that I always dreamed about. 406 Wilderness Outfitters and the Cheff family created an awesome experience for my group in the Bob Marshall wilderness. The experience was a once in lifetime, some of the best views and landscapes that this country has to offer. 406 Wilderness Outfitters helped me check this off my bucket list.

What a fabulously memorable trip!!! My husband, two daughters ages 12 & 14 and I recently took a week long trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness with the assistance of 406 Wilderness Outfitters. As a family, we spend a fair share of time enjoying the outdoors of Montana. I can honestly say, this was the most memorable and seamless of all trips thanks to the unique and family- friendly service the Cheff’s provide.      

Operating in the Bob Marshall Wilderness since 1932.

Charlo, Montana 59824

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White River Trips

White river base camp.

Location is geographically in the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

The Bob Marshall Wilderness of Montana is the benchmark of the American Wilderness System. It is the biggest wilderness complex in Montana, and one of the largest in the United States.

We headquarter in Augusta, Montana, guiding Montana pack trips from Benchmark trailhead on a regular basis, through the Sun River Game Preserve, over the Continental Divide, and in to the White River, Danaher and South Fork of the Flathead River drainages.

The center of our wilderness operation and pack trips is a base camp in the White River, just four miles from the Continental Divide. This camp is in close proximity to many well-known landmarks including the Chinese Wall, Needle Falls, Flathead Alps, Big Salmon Lake, Gladiator Mountain, Haystack Mountain, Turtle Head, Flat Iron and Cliff Creek. There are many other areas of interest nearby that not are not known as well, such as the “Lost World of Peggy Creek” offering an indescribable landscape.

This area affords good opportunities to see Montana wildlife in one of the most natural strongholds in North America. There are also many opportunities to fish for native cutthroat, both big and small. See also our White River fishing trips .

For those folks looking to experience other areas in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, we do offer customized trips. Please contact us for options and detail.

What to expect on our pack trips

The first day of your trip you will arrive at the Benchmark trailhead just after daylight, either shuttled by us or driving your own vehicle, depending on your needs. After an introduction to safe horsemanship, you will be introduced to your horse for the trip. Riders are matched as closely as possible to their mounts according to individual skills, size and ability. Our stock is always being complimented on their good nature and gentle manner. We try to have guests mounted and on their way to an amazing Bob Marshall Wilderness adventure by 8 a.m.

We cross the South Fork of the Sun River via the pack bridge, then cross the West Fork pack bridge. Quite often we see elk, whitetail deer and mule deer along this stretch of the trail while the dew is still on the grass. We often stop for lunch near Indian Creek.

After lunch we saddle up and start the ride up Indian Creek. This is an especially scenic area. On most trips in late July to mid-August, bears can be seen from time to time, feeding on the berry crop across the drainage.

This is also a good area to see mountain goats. The scenic trail ride climaxes on top of the Continental Divide which is also known as White River Pass. From here it is approximately five miles down to our camp, and a well-deserved rest after the 22 plus mile ride.

The second day of the trip is a good time to get familiar with camp and the surrounding sites. As the horses have worked hard getting everyone into camp, they are turned out for the day to eat and rest. Our camp is located at the nexus of the White River and South Fork of the White River, almost the exact geographical center of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The White River is approximately 150 yards from camp and affords some of the best Montana fly-fishing. This is a great river for the novice or expert fly fisherman. If you do not wish to fish, you can go for a scenic hike right out of camp, take a sun shower, and watch the deer feed in and around camp most anytime.

For the next four days there are many horseback rides offered and arranged to fit both the personal and group desires, as well as weather conditions. These days offer rides such as the South Fork of the Flathead River. It involves a 6 mile ride (one way) river grade trip, Montana fly fishing and swimming in the river. On the way we may see wildlife, take pictures, pick out the profile on “Scarface” Mountain, and enjoy getting reacquainted with your horse. After returning to a delicious meal, campfire talk, and good company can be enjoyed to fill any evening.

Another popular trail ride is to the “secret” in Montana known only as “The Lost World”. This place is a remote valley, inaccessible from most directions, and then only by an unmarked trail. Many times, mountain goat, elk, big horn sheep and mule deer can be seen. This place gives the feeling that you are on the moon. As the terrain seems to be predominantly rock. On the way we will pass Needle Falls, where the mainstream of the White River appears to pass through the eye of the “needle”: a hole in the rock that in recent times formed a natural bridge. By late afternoon we should be back in camp with time to swim, hike or fish after dinner.

Haystack Mountain……is the most popular day ride of all. The ride is just four miles up the trail from camp, on Haystack Mountain, leading to the Chinese Wall. This is an OVERPOWERING sight, as the mountain appears to have been cut off with a huge knife, some 1,400 feet from top to bottom. This is the Continental Divide. The general area is also referred to as the “over thrust belt”. Often we see bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and sometimes a herd of elk can be spotted in the valley below. If you like mountain scenery, you will love this place as it is set in the midst of a panorama of the wildest places in the continental U.S.

Rampart is a great ride to take on the last day spent in White River. The ride is very scenic and one of the easier rides. We cross over to the west side of the White River and go up onto Rampart Mountain, ride through the timber and across “the drum” where you can hear the echo of your horses’ hooves, as the mountain is hollow. From there continue on to the “upper tie up” and have lunch while looking across to view, Haystack Mountain, Gladiator, Amphitheatre, Moccasin Butte, Cliff Mountain, Flat Iron and Turtlehead. All of which are AWESOME sights of the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

These are just a few of the most popular rides. A person could spend weeks in the base camp and not cover all of the amazing rides and sights.

On the seventh day we begin our day as early as possible to head back out to the Benchmark Trailhead. The same trail is taken on the way out, but somehow the ride looks much different. It is just as beautiful!! We should be back to the Benchmark Trailhead by late afternoon and in to Augusta around 6 p.m. Our suggested gear list may be viewed on the web site.

We offer free airport pickup and return to Great Falls. Flights need to arrive in Great Falls no later than 2 p.m. the day before the trip. If driving, you must arrive in Augusta no later than 3 p.m. After booking, we will send you hotel information for the day prior to your trip and the evening you ride out of the mountains. Meals are provided beginning with lunch on day one and through lunch on the last day. We are unable to accommodate riders weighing over 250 lbs.

Ready to join us in the Bob Marshall Wilderness? Take a look at our rates and available dates .

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Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitters

Welcome to a lazy h outfitters..

Professional outfitters and back country guides providing extraordinary hunting, fishing, and horse packing excursions into Montana's famous Bob Marshall Wilderness. Come on an adventure with us for incredible views in Montana and even better hunting and fishing opportunities. As a Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitter, the professional and highly seasoned trail and hunting guides with A Lazy H will give you the best possible experience.

We offer many different opportunities to explore the Bob Marshall Wilderness in the heart of Montana. Some of the most popular packages include:

Guided Montana Hunting Trips

Bull elk and mule deer buck hunting with opportunities for bear and wolf., guided montana fishing trips, comfortable camping, safe horseback riding, outstanding wild river fishing, summer horse pack trips, horseback riding in the bob marshall wilderness, spectacular sight-seeing, dazzling stars, western meals, fly-fishing, hiking, camp-side stories., welcome to a lazy h, as a bob marshall wilderness outfitter, we have decades of experience guiding hunting, fishing, and horseback riding trips into montana’s wilderness. we plan for and attend to every detail of your western vacation..

A Lazy H Outfitters is a family business operated by the Haas family. Al, Sally, and Joe Haas have been taking guests into the mountains for decades. Our passion is providing enjoyable and high quality adventures.

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•    P.O. Box 167 Choteau, MT 59422
• Phone: (800) 893-1155
• Email: [email protected]

Regional Info

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© Copyright 2024  by A Lazy H Outfitters . All Rights Reserved.

Ready for a Montana Ranch Vacation, Horseback Riding and More?

Paintbrush Adventures and the famous Barron Ranch offer a picture perfect setting, great hosts, and an authentic hands-on cowboy life. Experience horseback riding in Montana on a 5th generation working horse, sheep and cattle ranch. It is high energy, fast paced, and very informal year round unlike any dude ranch in Montana. Don’t look for set schedules and planned activities, but full days of work and play tailored to you. Go fishing, feed the animals, spend a day in Yellowstone Park, or explore the back country of Montana.

We provide customized 3 to 5 day Montana vacation packages personalized to you!

• Ranch Vacations

Including daily Horseback riding, (non riders welcome) farm/ranch activities such as moving cattle, feeding the animals, learn roping basics, etc.

• Guided Horseback Rides

Get a day of scenic horse riding in Montana with 1hr, 2hr, and full day trail rides with lunch.

Outdoor Adventures

Saddle to Paddle – Combine horseback riding and white water rafting.

Fishing/Fly Fishing

The Stillwater River runs conveniently through our ranch, so you can spend a relaxing day fishing on the river.

Montana Pack Trips

Includes horseback trail riding, fishing, and camping in the Montana mountain wilderness. Now, offered for your hunting trips!

Take a back country pack trip without the work! Includes packing your supplies in and out for you.

We are your Premier Montana Outdoor Adventure location in the United States, providing Montana Ranch & Horseback Riding Vacations and featuring Day Hikes, Wilderness Drop Camps, Fly Fishing, Horseback Riding, Custom Mountain Pack Trips, Hunting Trips, Saddle Paddle, White Water Rafting, Rodeos, Farm Stay, Family Reunions, Corporate Retreats as well as Western Working Ranch Vacations/Dude Ranch Vacations all in the highly popular areas of the Absaroka/Beartooth Wilderness • Billings, MT • Cody, WY • Bozeman, MT • Livingston, MT and Yellowstone Park!

Licensed and Permitted in the Custer National Forest in the Beartooth Ranger District. Operating Under Montana Outfitters License #8880.

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Bob Marshall Wilderness Summer Pack Trips

Summer bob marshall pack trips what to bring | rates & dates.

Bob Marshall Wilderness

The 1.5 million acre Bob Marshall Wilderness is considered by many to be the crown jewel of America’s wilderness system. It contains the valleys, lakes and streams that make up the headwaters of several rivers including the South Fork of the Flathead River. Elevations vary from 4000’ to 9000’.

Adventure Pack Trips

We offer progressive pack trips through this mountainous area that vary in length from 5 to 10 days. You ride horseback and all camp gear is packed on mules. We generally move camp every other day and lay over on the days in between to ride, fish, explore, relax, and enjoy camp life.

You will stay in teepee tents with covered floors and screened doors. Hearty meals are prepared and served under the kitchen fly. We offer “open” trips that anyone can join, up to 10 people. Or with a group of 8 or more you can book your own private trip.

Fisher's Paradise

Enjoy world-class fishing for native cutthroat on the South Fork Flathead River and it’s tributaries! Alpine lakes, glacial streams, and the main rivers offer a wide opportunity for novice and expert alike. With an abundance of trout lying in wait in the cold, clear waters, it is truly a fly fisherman’s paradise.

Home - Your Hosts - Lodging - Activities - Info Request Form - Contact Us - Location - Weather

Rich's Montana Guest Ranch & Outdoor Adventures P.O. Box 495 939 Cottonwood Lakes Road Seeley Lake, Montana 59868-0495 [email protected] Phone Number: 406-677-2317

Trilobite Range

$4150/person, august 15-22, explore the bob on one of the best montana horse pack trips: trilobite range.

7 Lazy P Outfitting prides itself  in providing the best Montana horse pack trips. Our Trilobite Range trip is an epic high country adventure! You will explore the most wild and remote areas of the Bob Marshall Wilderness .

See the North Chinese Wall and the Trilobite Range on our premier Montana horse pack trip that includes hiking and fishing. Camp at Lake Levale and the spectacular Trilobite Lakes. The ride up to and the view from the top of Switchback Pass is unforgettable. Enjoy great day hikes and wilderness solitude.

Check out the Trilobite Range trip details below, but if you are wanting something else, then be sure to explore our other summer trips .

Depart 7 Lazy P guest ranch by riding up the Middle Fork of the Teton and over 7,200’ Route Creek Pass into the North Fork Sun River drainage. We'll descend down into the valley to our camp on Wrangle Creek. Total: 13 miles and about 4.5 to 5 hours riding time

Layover day. Enjoy fishing on the nearby Sun River or take a hike. There is a hike for any level from short and easy to more challenging, like a climb up Wapati Ridge or an all day hike to the top of Wrong Ridge. The views are incredible! Crew members are always available to accompany guests to the river fishing or on any of the hikes. Guests are also free to go on their own, if they choose.

We pack up and leave the Wrong Creek camp moving a short distance to the Sun River, where we cross at the mouth of Lick Creek and then ascend up this drainage to the base of the North Chinese Wall. Here we turn north and traverse the wall across the South Fork of Open Creek before dropping into our campsite beneath the high cliffs at Lake Levale. This beautiful aqua blue alpine lake sits at 7156'. Don't be surprised to see mountain goats on the cliffs. We will only camp here one night. Total: 11 miles and 5 hours of riding time

Moving off again we start the day with a magnificent ride up Switchback Pass over the Continental Divide. We climb over 1000' in less than 1.5 miles. The view from the top will cover the entire wilderness complex, the Swan and Mission ranges, as well as the peaks of Glacier National Park can all be seen from this vantage point. You'll know you are in truly wild country here. Now we are riding along the Trilobite Range as we pass Dean Lake, the rocky face of Mt. Pentagon, and then to our campsite at the Trilobite Lakes directly below Trilobite Peak. Total: about 10 miles and 5 plus hours of riding time

Layover day here. After a leisurely breakfast, guests may choose to go on a hike with some of the crew. Climbing Tilobite Peak is popular, and can be achieved by most folks in reasonable condition. Shorter hikes or just relaxing is great, too.

We move down off the high bench into the Clack Creek drainage, and then the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. The confluence of these two streams occurs at Gooseberry Park, where sits a historic Forest Service guard cabin built in 1928. We head upstream across Strawberry Creek to Bowl Creek, which we follow through Grizzly Parks and our last camp at Basin Creek. Much of the country we ride through has burned recently and shows various stages of regrowth. Total: about 10 miles of mostly river grade trail and 4.5 hours riding time

The Basin camp sits in a comfortable grassy park. This is a good day to relax or take a short hike. There is some nice fishing for native West Slope Cutthroat in Bowl Creek, but it will require a couple miles of walking to and from.

On the last day we leave the Basin Creek camp, and continue up Bowl Creek to Teton Pass on the Continental Divide and then down into the West Fork of the Teton to our corrals at the end of the road where we will be met by crew from the guest ranch. The hardworking stock will be turned out here to graze and take a well deserved break. Guests will take a short 8 mile vehicle ride back to the 7 Lazy P guest ranch for showers and dinner.

Guests depart the lodge mid-morning.

What should I bring?

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Additional info, other summer trips, working trip.

Bob Marshall Sampler

North Fork Sun River Fly Fishing

South Chinese Wall

North Chinese Wall

Big River Country

Custom Bob Marshall Wilderness Trip

Middle Fork Flathead Trip

How others felt about our trips

"We did a pack trip last summer. We had an excellent time. The family, employees included, was so wonderful. Coming from a metropolitan area it was so refreshing to visit somewhere where people are still so friendly. Montana is beautiful and I would highly recommend this company for a pack take on a camping vacation. "

-Holly Smith

"My family and I had a fantastic experience with 7 Lazy P!! We can’t wait to do it again only this time adding new family members and friends to the experience! "

-Anne Starr

"Just back from a 7 day trip. Five guests to the South Chinese Wall. Had a great time...beautiful landscape, great campsites...the food was excellent...and the fishing couldn't be better. These are the outfitters you want to choose. "

-Mark Matthews

"If you're looking for a great trip in the Montana wilderness, run by some fantastic people, you can't go wrong with 7 Lazy P Outfitting. Highly recommended - you won't regret it. "

-Dwayne Melancon

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• Wilderness Horse Pack Trip
• Grizzly/Wolf Safari

Saddle up for a wilderness pack trip adventure

You need not be a hunter or angler to thoroughly enjoy an adventure in Montana. We offer hiking, sightseeing and photography trips into our remote backcountry area for a wide variety of clients. If you like you can just bring a few good books to read, relax and do nothing more than enjoy this beautiful country. Over the years we’ve even had artists join us to record their impressions of this very special place.

Your adventure begins the morning of your departure for our backcountry camp, Independence. You will meet at the Absaroka-Beartooth Outfitters Headquarters in Big Timber and caravan with the our staff to the trailhead. You will follow the meandering Boulder River on your road trip to the trailhead. If some of this country looks familiar, perhaps it is that you have seen it on the big screen in A River Runs Through It , and The Horse Whisperer .

Upon arrival at the trailhead, your guides and wranglers will pack your gear and introduce you to your horse. You’ll saddle up and ride for an hour up an old sheep trail to our backcountry camp, Independence. That afternoon, you’ll explore, fish, hike, and enjoy an evening by the campfire. The following morning, you’ll enjoy a leisurely breakfast before mounting your horse to ride four and a half hours through magnificent country to our base camp, Hellroaring.

At camp you may relax and refresh yourself in your wall tent whose comfort and coziness belies the fact that you are many miles from any permanent human habitation. That evening you will enjoy a wonderfully prepared meal with beverages of your choice, a roaring campfire to gather ’round and time to socialize and share the anticipation of the adventures to come.

A good night’s sleep followed by an early rising and a big breakfast prepared by our great cook will set you on the path for your true mission: hunting, fishing, or just enjoying what is justifiably called, “God’s Country”.

Regardless of your chosen activity, our guides will escort you every step of the way. We are confident that you will find them knowledgeable, skilled, and accommodating. Whether you seek the majestic elk or the wily cutthroat trout, the end of the day will afford you the satisfaction of time well spent in pursuit of your sporting dreams.

Our 6-day wilderness horse pack trips are run out of our backcountry camp, Hellroaring, located 8 miles north of Yellowstone National Park. The 6-day trip allows one day in Independence, 4 days in Hellroaring, and one day to pack out. Independence is located 55 miles south of Big Timber and accessed primarily by horseback. At Independence you will spend the afternoon hiking, fishing, and enjoying an evening by the campfire. The next day is a four-and-a-half-hour horseback ride to our wilderness camp which takes you over the 10,000 foot Hellroaring Divide. From the Divide, you will descend 2,800 feet into a picturesque valley, the home of our Hellroaring basecamp at 7,200 feet. Our string of horses and mules are dependable. Previous riding experience is helpful but not required. 

Custom Wilderness Single & Multi-Day Mountain Horseback Adventures Available for groups of 4 or more who want a mountain riding experience but need a shorter trip. Please email [email protected] or call 406-579-3866 to plan your custom adventure.

License needed if you want to Fish: Fishing licenses can be purchased over the counter or online at MFWP .

Location: Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness

Accommodations: Comfortable backcountry tent camp and hearty meals provided.

Trip length: 6-days; 1 day at Independence backcountry camp, 4 days in Hellroaring Wilderness camp, 1 day riding out.

**You will need to make reservations in Big Timber, Livingston or Bozeman for your incoming and your outgoing nights as we leave early for the mountains on the first day of your trip and return from the mountains in the late afternoon/early evening on the last day of your trip.

Grizzly/Wolf Photo Safari

Imagine yourself tracking a grizzly bear or a pack of wolves armed only with your sense of adventure, your photography skill and your trusty camera. ABO has added grizzly bear/wolf photo safaris to its list of unforgettable Montana wilderness adventures. If you choose, you can leave your camera and just enjoy the thrill of this unique experience. Your guide and tracker will be ABO’s Outfitter, Cameron Mayo. Cameron has spent countless hours riding the Absaroka-Beartooth country. He is an experienced outdoorsman and knowledgeable about the area and its habitat.

Grizzly / Wolf Photo Safari

Custom trips available upon request.

Fulfill Your Sense of Adventure.

Deposit, payment and refund policy.

A deposit of 50% of the trip is required to book your reservation. This deposit is non-refundable. The balance of the trip is due 30 days prior to trip date and is nonrefundable. Trips not fully paid by this date will be considered cancelled. We recommend Trip Cancellation Insurance. Montana Outfitters & Guides Association suggests Global Rescue travel insurance. http://www.montanaoutfitters.org/travelersinsurance/

We accept Credit Cards (Visa/MasterCard only) and Checks. Make Checks Payable to: Absaroka-Beartooth Outfitters, Inc.

Absaroka-Beartooth Outfitters 1263 Hwy 10 West Big Timber, MT 59011

406-579-3866

[email protected]

Adventures Above the Rest.

These packets include information on logistics, pricing, what to bring and more.

• ABO Lodging & Activities
• Float Fly Fishing Trip
• General Hunting Information
• Grizzly Bear Wolf Photo Safari
• Horseback Rides
• Private Land Hunting Archery
• Private Land Hunting Rifle
• Wilderness Fly Fishing Pack Trip
• Walk Wade Fly Fishing Trip
• Wilderness Hunting
• Montana Outfitters & Guides Association (MOGA)
• Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks (MFWP)

Cameron Mayo is licensed by the Montana Board of Outfitters. Outfitter License #10925. Absaroka-Beartooth Outfitters is permitted by the United States Forest Service (USFS) to operate in the Custer  Gallatin National Forest.

We offer the best in Montana adventures. Fly-fishing, big game hunting, horse rides and ranch vacations on wilderness and private land. Fish high mountain streams, lakes, rivers and ranch creeks. Hunt elk, deer, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, bear and moose in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in the Greater Yellowstone area. Private ranch hunts for elk, deer, antelope, bear, turkey, duck and goose.

Proud members of: Montana Outfitters and Guides Association (MOGA) , America Outdoors Association , The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) , Trout Unlimited (TU) , and Safari Club International (SCI) .

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Montana Horse Pack-Trips

Soaring through the back country....

What to do in Montana...

William Shakespeare said of riding a horse, “When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk.” But ask the average Montanan about horse pack trips and you’re unlikely to hear such flowery language. Memories of giant pack strings with riders and mounts crammed nose to haunch on jam-packed trails have taken the luster away. You might say it’s hard to feel like a hawk when you’re being led around like a sheep.

Luckily, the next generation of pack trips bears no resemblance to that stereotype. Small groups, uncrowded and unspoiled trails, gourmet Western cuisine, and personal service make today’s horse pack trips—at least in the hands of the right operators—one of the best vacations around. 

To help you find those perfect rides, Distinctly Montana has scoured the state for the most spectacular, most unusual, and all-around most dazzling trips. In Montana state parks from Yellowstone to Glacier to the Bob, the horses are waiting.

THE BEST OF THE BOB

The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and state park is the classic pack trip destination. Covering more than a million and a half acres, the Bob boasts unmatched solitude—fewer than one person for every thousand acres—and a landscape that still looks remarkably similar to what Lewis and Clark would have seen when they traveled through on their Corps of Discovery.

Today’s visitors to the Bob can still make new discoveries, thanks in part to the many experienced tour operators guiding pack trips into the wild. For a real link with the history of the Bob, start with Chuck Blixrud of the 7 Lazy P Deep Creek Canyon Guest Ranch in Choteau. For nearly 50 years, Chuck, wife Sharon, and their expert staff have been leading people into the Bob on routes that they have spent nearly half a century perfecting.

“All of our trips are based on how we can have the best trips at the best time of year,” Blixrud explains. “Honestly, I don’t think we can improve on them.”

The Blixruds’ premiere 10-day trip takes riders to the Chinese Wall, an unmistakable rock formation that towers more than 1,000 feet over the landscape, stretching 22 miles. Mountain goats, mountain sheep, and eagles make their home in the Chinese Wall.

“What makes this scenery so spectacular to me is that it’s still wild,” Blixrud says. “It’s a totally different feeling of solitude, as wild as anything we know today and can experience.”

Riders who want a little book learning with their solitude can take part in another unique Bob excursion, this one offered by WTR Outfitters of Ovando. Karen and Jack Hooker’s exclusive Nature Observation Trips combine a traditional Bob pack trip with a hands-on ecology workshop. Guided by a professional naturalist, WTR’s “eco-trips” teach not only the ecology of the high country—including flora, fauna, and geology—but also delve into the history. 

The base camp is located in the drainage of the South Fork of the Flathead River, an area renowned for its abundance of animals and—of course—scenic majesty. Deer, elk, bears, coyotes, moose, beavers and otter, and even wolves have been spotted in the area, and WTR’s naturalist can explain how such a wide variety of animals can survive within a high-altitude wilderness.

YELLOWSTONE’S BACK COUNTRY

Mike Thompson, owner and operator of the Livingston-based Wilderness Pack Trips, is not a professional naturalist. Still, when Yellowstone rangers want to know something about the national park’s back country, Thompson often gets the call.

Along with his camp cook wife Erin—and, increasingly, their three young sons—Mike Thompson has been leading trips into Yellowstone since 1992. And he very rarely goes the same way twice.

“We lead each and every pack trip ourselves,” Mike says. “That gives us the ability to do a different trip every time and to get to a lot of places with low accessibility.”

Erin explains that their pack trip philosophy has also given them an advantage for getting to places that most groups can’t.

“Some of our back-country camp ethics are a little more extreme than they would have to be, but our goal is to have as little impact on the land as possible,” Erin says. “We don’t picket or tie up our horses in any way, for example. They can be a mile off, but when we yell, ‘Come, boys!’ they just come running.”

That value on low-impact travel and stewardship of Yellowstone has earned the Thompsons the respect of Yellowstone officials, the chance to guide everyone from NASA scientists to documentary film crews—and the occasional brush with fame. After Mike and Erin found, photographed, and relayed the GPS coordinates of the remains of the last surviving original wolf from the Yellowstone reintroduction packs, they received phone calls and interview requests from around the world.

“We got quite a following,” Erin laughs. 

Cindy De Prater, who has traveled several times with the Thompsons, says that following—whether for wolves or just for the kind of special service they provide—is entirely deserved.

“They are just great people. They will treat you like family,” De Prater enthuses. “Mike can talk about every flower, animal, and mountain range out there, and they both teach you how to take care of the environment because they treat the back country with such respect.”

“And the food is great,” she says of Erin’s cooking.

GLACIER BY HORSE AND HELICOPTER

Great food is also part of the equation for Dr. Jorge Simental, the owner of Summit Station, a restored 1906 lodge built by the Great Northern Railway on the top of Marias Pass overlooking Glacier National Park. Simental and his staff can arrange everything from gourmet trail food to wine tastings for their rides. 

An emergency medicine physician and trauma specialist, Simental climbed Mount Everest as part of a joint National Geographic/NASA/MIT mission in 1999 and has  conquered a number of other famous peaks. He also understands that not everyone has the time to spend 10 days in the wilderness, as much as they may want to. To allow those who cannot devote more than a few days to back country retreats, Summit Station offers combination helicopter/horse trips into Glacier Park that can be experienced in just a few days.

“We send the horses up to the camp the day before, and then we drop off our clients by helicopter,” Simental explains. “By the time they get to the camp, the horses are there and they are already in pristine, untouched territory and can then ride farther into the back country.”

The compacted nature of the trip makes it perfect for busy executives and others with limited leisure time, but it does present a challenge for Simental and his staff.

“We recognize that not everyone can ride 12 or 14 hours a day to get to the back country, but in the brief time that we have, we have to make our guests feel as relaxed as if they had been out there a week,” he says.

DRIVING CATTLE IN THE FLATHEAD

Guests who come to the Laughing Water Ranch about 50 miles northwest of Kalispell are those eager and able to spend an actual week living the ranch life, and the most popular events of the year are the cattle drives.

Dee Gibbs, Laughing Water’s operations manager, calls the cattle drives and their attendant activities—rounding up, branding, and sorting—“the most fun you can have on horseback.”

“We are either pushing the cows into the Kootenai National Forest to graze on open range for the summer or back down the mountain into the valley for the winter,” Gibbs explains. “We are working a herd of 150 to 200 head of cattle, depending on when we do it.”

After a day gitting the little dogies along, participants ride into camp for songs, stories, and branding—boots and bags only, naturally—around the campfire.

“We like to joke that we brand the cows during the day and the guests at night,” Gibbs deadpans.

Camp food is another draw. “Our food is out of this world,” she says. “We have everything from prime rib to barbecue to fish fries. And all of our desserts are homemade. It’s not easy to be on a diet here!”

The Laughing Water Ranch is owned and operated by a Ted and Lacretia Mikita, a couple who met at the ranch. Ted Mikita’s family bought the ranch in 1972, but they didn’t open the guest facilities until 1988. Gibbs says the whole operation feels like extended family.

The family aspect is in fact one key aspect to what makes these trips stand out in a crowded field. (Do a search for Montana horse pack trips on the Internet to see just how crowded.) From the Blixruds in Choteau to the Mikitas in tiny Fortine, the family that packs together seems to put a spectacular trip together as well.

“The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire,” horse expert Sharon Ralls Lemon writes in the introduction to the first edition of The Encyclopedia of the Horse. 

The same can be said of time in the Montana wilderness. Erin Thompson, whose hundreds—if not thousands—of trips into Yellowstone could have dulled her to its grandeur, holds that each time offers something new and exciting. “To see it through someone else’s eyes is to see it fresh,” she says. “It just gets better and better.”

~ Nicole Rosenleaf Ritter is a freelance writer and editor with deep Montana roots. After nearly a decade away, she returned to Montana in 2004 and now resides in Livingston with her family.

Spirit Horse Journeys and Retreats

Any journey into the wilderness on horseback—given the solitude, slowed pace, and awesome natural beauty—brings with it some measure of spiritual quest. But those who want to focus more intensely on guided growth have a number of outstanding choices, all in the wilds of Montana.

Bozeman psychotherapist Connie Myslik-McFadden describes her annual summer “Gathering the Soul in the Wilderness” retreats as an opportunity to “encounter inner and outer wilderness” through meditation, dreamwork, journaling, and “lots of horseback riding.” Based on the Blacktail Ranch in Wolf Creek—an 8,000-acre guest ranch at the base of the Continental Divide about 75 miles southwest of Great Falls—participants in Gathering the Soul spend three of their seven days in a remote ranch camp, deep within the wilderness surrounding Blacktail. Another day is devoted to a horse ride to the rim of the Continental Divide.  One of the final activities is a hike to a sacred Native American cave, part of a cavern system first discovered in the 1946 by Blacktail owner Tag Rittel, whose grandfather homesteaded the land on which the ranch now sits. 

Women seeking a short break for self-examination and stress release in the company of other women can look to Horse Medicine’s Women’s Circle Personal Growth Retreat. The  founders of the Livingston-based nonprofit organization, licensed counselor Diane Nash Boehm and horse professional Nanette Van Horn, use the principles of the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) to guide women through a weekend of exercises, sharing, and reflection. 

While no riding takes place during the weekend on Van Horn’s family ranch outside of Livingston, participants work with the horses extensively. Through grooming, observation, and guiding exercises, the women learn to read the horses’ behaviors—and through that, learn more about themselves.  “We cannot disguise our feelings from the horse—our body language conveys our true state of being,” Horse Medicine’s website explains. “The horse acts as a mirror to what is underneath the surface of our behaviors thereby creating a pathway for growth and learning.”

Those looking to learn more about horse behavior itself can spend a week at the 7 Lazy P Deep Canyon Guest Ranch (described above) learning about the philosophy of “horse whispering.” According to the Blixruds, while horse whispering in the past was believed to be magic or even witchcraft, today it has been shown that such unique “power” over horses can be taught.

The instructor for the week is veterinarian Doug “Doc” Hamill. Through lectures, demonstrations, and exercises, Dr. Hamill “reveals the complex nature, logic, and language of horses,” offering “gentle but effective ways of getting horses to choose to work cooperatively with [humans] as partners.” Participants get to put the lessons into practice on guided horseback rides into the Rocky Mountain Front.

Exceptional Outfitters and Ranches

Seven Lazy P Deep Canyon Guest Ranch

406-466-2044

[email protected]

http://www.guestranches.com/sevenlazyp/

Deep Canyon’s signature 10-day pack trip to the Chinese Wall is $2,400. Shorter rides are available at a cost of $260 per day. Horse Whisperer Week is scheduled for May 22-26, 2006 and will cost $1,216.

WTR Outfitters

800-987-5666

http://www.wtroutfitters.com/

Nature observation trips go out throughout the summer at a cost of $250 per day. Trips can run from three to 10 days.

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Destination Montana

Plan Your Montana Adventure

Plan your Montana Adventure Where to Go – Places to Stay Where to Eat – Things to Do (406) 581-6405

Horseback Pack Trips

Yellowstone national park.

Bob Marshall Wilderness

Swan mountain outfitters.

(406) 387-4405 Our Bob Marshall Wilderness pack trips are 3 to 9 days in length and can accommodate beginner and advanced riders, alike.

Rich’s Montana Outdoor Adventures

(406) 677-2317 We offer progressive pack trips through this mountainous area that vary in length from 5 to 10 days.

In The Spotlight

Montana zipline adventures.

Nestled just outside of Anaconda along the Pintler Scenic Highway is an adventure completely unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. You will be immersed in the unparalleled beauty of the panoramic Pintler Wilderness while ziplining Montana’s longest zipline course over 9,300 feet. Our course is considered intensive and action-packed as our lines reach very high speeds. Plan your adveture now. Call (406) 560-3115.

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Disclosure – When you book any Vrbo stay Destination Montana will receive a small commission.

Destination Montana P.O. Box 160429 Big Sky, MT 59716-0429

Phone: (406) 581-6405 Email: [email protected]

Montana Summer Horseback Pack Trips

Summer Horseback Pack Trips Sightseeing – $450 per person per day Fishing – $550 per person per day (minimum age 6; minimum group size 5/maximum group size 10)

Guided wilderness trips take place from June through August in the Great Bear Wilderness. We camp at various sites along rivers, creeks and lakes with ample opportunity to fish, hike, ride, and explore amidst the grandeur of truly spectacular country or simply sit around the campfire swapping tall tales of your wilderness adventure.

These are typically “roving” light-weight camps, giving you a chance to see different areas of the Wilderness.

We plan trips around your interests and specialize in private trips for groups of 4 to 12 people. Trips vary in length according to guests.  We recommend at least 2 nights/3 days, although we can do an overnight if that’s all that fits your schedule.

We provide a full service adventure and can help with any planning needed prior to or after your trip. These trips depart from and return to Base Camp.

Our pack trips are fully outfitted adventures – Experienced, friendly guides, tents you can stand in, cots, great food, a new best friend (your horse!), open air outhouse, filtered water, and memories to last a lifetime!

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Call Today (406) 226-9225

Guided Wilderness Trips ♦ Horseback Day Rides ♦ Horseback Pack Trips ♦ Fishing Trips ♦ Drop Camp Services

Wilderness Hunt Trips ♦ Spring Black Bear ♦ Wilderness Big Game

Just did a 3 day pack trip and then rented their cabin for 5 days. The pack trip was great. Chance was professional and did a great job meeting the needs of our group. We were a mix of riders and fishermen and we all got time to do what we love. The food, gear and stock were great.

Specialty Fishing Trips

Montana is great fly fishing country, and no visit to Glacier National Park would be complete without trying your luck catching our native Westslope cutthroat and rainbow trout. Specialty fishing trips are pack trips that focus on fishing, fishing and more fishing. Experience fishing the wilderness section of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River, high alpine lakes, and smaller creeks. The best time is July through August after the spring runoff and once the rivers have cleared. Small rafts and float tubes can be used on the lakes. Our guides are here to assist, and will bring or recommend flies to catch the big ones! 

Weekender 3-Day Wilderness Pack Trip

Northwest Montana pack trips are reminiscent of a different era, when all you needed was a bedroll and your trusty steed to make it through the wilderness. Times have certainly changed since then, but our weekend horseback riding trips in Montana allow even those with the most jam packed northwest Montana vacation schedule to experience a small slice of this deep rooted Montana tradition.

Our 3 day, 2 night weekend pack trip allows any guest the opportunity to fit a full pack trip experience into a mini family horseback riding vacation. No other outfitter accessing the Bob is able to offer a short duration trip. Due to our location Swan Mountain Outfitters is proud to be able to include this option for visitors wanting a ‘taste” of Montana backcountry trips.

What to Expect

Friday: Guests leave the Swan Mountain Outfitters base camp off of Lion Creek Road Friday morning and we’ll ride to our upper camp at the top of Lion Creek Basin, some 6,000 feet above sea level. It’s a full day’s ride so we’ll stop for a picnic lunch in the shade of old growth cedars.

Saturday: We’ll ride into the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, taking in the majestic views. The excursion we choose is based on what the group is most interested in doing whether that be a full day of fishing, riding ridges, or hiking peaks.

Sunday: Wrap up your mini Montana horseback riding adventure with a full day of riding down the mountain. Guests will typically return to base camp late in the afternoon or early evening.

Nothing compares to horseback riding in the Bob Marshall Wilderness where the scenery just gets more and more incredible every time you come around the bend. A weekend horseback riding trip in northwest Montana is the perfect addition to any Montana vacation, so book your 3 day pack trip today!

Current Trip Rates

Group Discount Rates: 10% discount available for groups of 10+

3% Administrative Fee : All multi-day trip rates will have an additional 3% administrative fee added per reservation. If you have any questions please feel free to call us at (406) 387-4405.

Cancellation and Refund Policy: For all overnight trips, a 25% non-refundable and non-transferrable deposit for each participant is required to reserve a trip. For daily trips that are prepaid in advance, all amounts paid are non refundable within 48 hours of the activity. There are no refunds due to weather or fires or unforeseen changes in your travel schedule. We highly recommend the purchase of trip insurance!

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Fly Fishing in Montana

MEDICINE LAKE OUTFITTERS

Fly Fishing Expeditions in Montana and Yellowstone Park

Medicine Lake Outfitters is a wilderness expeditions outfitter specializing in fly fishing horseback trips into the backcountry of Montana and Yellowstone Park.

Our trips are interpretive and offer instruction in horseback riding, fly fishing and ‘light on the land’ horse camping.  We have been host to the Yellowstone region’s visitors for the past fifty years.

In 2024 we are offering a small group set departure trip to Elk Horn Basin in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness.  Our set departure trips are open to individuals and small parties. We will book to a final group size of six or seven guests.

 If you have a party of five or more we can put together a private party custom trip to Elk Horn Basin for you during the months of July or August.

MEET YOUR HOST

Tom Heintz is a fifth generation Montanan who has spent his lifetime serving people in the wilderness travel and recreation realm.  Fly fishing has been his life long passion.

Tom knows the Yellowstone region intimately and enjoys sharing his knowledge of the area’s history, wildlife and fisheries.

Pack-trip Rates and Dates

Package rate includes pre and post-ranch lodging and meals. Recommended staff gratuity (12-18%) and tax not included. Age limit 10 years; Limited to 10 participants in good physical condition (minimum 6 participants per trip)

PAYMENT: We request 1/2 of the total charges to secure your vacation within 10 days of request. Deposit must be sent within 10 days of request or forfeiture may result. The balance of payment is due 30 days before the trip, preferably by check. If using Visa/or MasterCard, a 2.5% convenience fee will be added. Groups: We can customize exclusive pack trips but require a minimum party size of 8.

CANCELLATION POLICY: If a cancellation must occur, 50% of the deposit will be refunded before January 1st. After January 1st, deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. **We highly recommend trip insurance in case of cancellation—contact: https://www.montanaoutfitters.org/travelersinsurance/ or Travel Guard at 877-249-5376 or www.travelguard.com. If you choose to decline purchasing travel insurance, please understand that there are no exceptions to our cancellation policy. Any changes made to your reservation after booking that result in a decrease in the number of participants sacrifice their portion of the deposit.

Check-in in the afternoon on arrival day.

Check-out before 10:00 a.m. on departure day.

TRANSPORTATION: Transfer to/from the Great Falls International Airport or a Great Falls hotel. Round-trip: $100 per person. We provide transportation as per the following schedule only: Arrival: We typically pick up guests between 12:30 to 1:30 pm and will depart Great Falls no later than 2:00 pm on arrival day. Call beforehand for a meeting time and place. Please make flight arrival before 2:00 pm. Departure: The JJJ van will leave the Ranch around 9:30 am on departure day, arriving in Great Falls around 11:30 am. Please make sure the flight is after noon on departure day.

If your itinerary must fall outside this schedule, you can arrange to stay in one of Great Falls’ many motels the night before, or after your trip. We can help with hotel referrals. *Because airlines often overbook flights causing some guests’ arrival delays, it may be wise to arrive in Great Falls the day before. If your flight arrives late, or you have an early flight out on departure day, you must rent a car.

Complete our Pack-trip Eligibility Form

2024 WILDERNESS TRIPS

Bob Marshall Wilderness pack trips are limited in number and size each year in coordination with the Forest Service and Wilderness rules.

TRIP 1: Wildlife Watching Trip – June 24-29, 2024; 5 days, 2 ranch nights $3000 plus tax ** FULL ** Our first trip is designed to maximize the opportunity for wildlife watching with emphasis placed on scenic day rides and hiking in the summer range of elk, deer & bighorn sheep. The Sun River Valley is unique for its expansive meadows rimmed by snow-capped peaks.

TRIP 2: North Fork of the Sun River Loop Trip – July 7-13, 2024; 6 days, 2 ranch nights, $3600 plus tax **SPACE STILL AVAILABLE ** This trip rides along Gibson Reservoir to travel into the heart of the Sun River Valley. This valley is unique for its expansive meadows rimmed by snow-capped peaks. The first camp is along Glenn Creek, a fast-flowing stream originating on the slopes of Sheep Mountain. Great fishing opportunity. After spending two nights, we’ll move on day three further up the North Fork of the Sun River Valley to our base camp along Biggs Creek. Biggs Creek offers fantastic fishing, hiking, or a scenic day ride to Bear Top Fire Lookout. Friday takes us back to the ranch up and over Elk Hill where you get another awesome 360-degree view, getting back in the late afternoon.

TRIP 3: Deep Creek to Biggs Creek Wilderness Loop – July 14-20, 2024; 6 days, 2 ranch nights, $3600 plus tax ** FULL ** This loop trip heads north out of the Ranch into the beautiful Deep Creek area in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. We ride 13 miles over Blacktail Creek Pass through aspens, lodgepole pine, and spruce trees with frequent scenic vistas and wonderful meadows. The following layover day offers great riding to the mouth of Deep Creek overlooking the plains on the Rocky Mountain Front. Day 3 moves camp west deeper into the wilderness another 12 miles to the Sun River valley, camping next to Biggs Creek for the next 2 nights. This spectacular wide-open mountain valley is rimmed by mountain peaks that look to the Continental Divide and is home to the Sun River elk herd and other wildlife. Biggs Creek offers fantastic fishing, hiking, or a scenic day ride to Bear Top Fire Lookout. Friday takes us through the North Fork of the Sun River valley, riding to the top of Elk Hill where you can see for miles, and then along Gibson Lake, returning to the Ranch in the late afternoon.

TRIP 4: North Fork Trip – August 6-11, 2024; 5 days, 2 ranch nights, $3000 * * FULL** This custom trip is designed to maximize flyfishing opportunities along the Sun River and also has fantastic day rides.

NOTE: We reserve the right to change the day-to-day itinerary for weather, wildfires, rider ability, and unforeseen circumstances beyond our control. Children must be at least 10 years old and physically capable of riding long days in the saddle. Due to the nature of horseback riding in the wilderness, participants MUST be in good physical condition, and trips are not recommended if any health or physical issues exist or if you require a special diet. While we carry a satellite phone for emergencies, it is very difficult to bring someone out from a trip to seek medical attention. The emergency helicopter is costly and is for emergencies only. We also have the right to exclude a rider from a trip for inability to ride or behavior that endangers the other riders or the horses.

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91 Mortimer Road, P.O. Box 310, Augusta, MT 59410 (406) 562-3653   •   [email protected]

Montana Horseback Fly-Fishing Pack Trips

Montana Angler offers backcountry wilderness horseback fly-fishing trips in the summer and early fall. Our guests access remote backcountry fisheries near the border of Yellowstone National Park and the interior of the Bob Marshall Wilderness via horseback. Our partner outfitters and wrangles are Cameron Mayo (Hellroaring trip, MT lic #10925) and Rich McAtee (Bob Marshall Wilderness trip, MT lic #33514) have permits to access some of the wildest country in the lower 48. Guests on our Montana fly-fishing pack trips ride deep into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness or Bob Marshall Wilderness and spend several days camping and fishing on either the Hellroaring Plateau (6 day trip) or accessing the South Fork of the Flathead to float via raft back downstream (7 day trip).

Bob Marshall Wilderness Pack & Float Fishing Trip

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Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Horse Pack & Fishing Trip: 6 Day Wilderness Fly-Fishing Pack Trip

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Horseback Trips

Our Horseback Trips

Cache Creek Outfitters is dedicated to the preservation of wildlife habitat. The Gallatin National Forest and Yellowstone National Park are truly treasures of our nation. Our guests often see moose, elk, deer, coyote, bear, sandhill cranes and other wildlife during Horseback Trips. Delight in a warm Montana summer day by horse travel. You can expect Cache Creek Outfitters to provide you with gentle horses and dependable wranglers who have knowledge of the wildlife, flowers and mountains that surrounds us. We feel privileged to have the opportunity to share the beauty of these woods with you.

Horseback Fly Fishing

A horseback fly fishing trip is one of the most unforgettable adventures you can have. Horseback fly fishing trips offer an excellent opportunity to fish pristine mountain lakes and streams all the while enjoying spectacular alpine scenery. We provide excellent surefooted mountain horses and mules for access into the Spanish Peaks Wilderness Area and Yellowstone National Park. Cache Creek Outfitters has all the necessary equipment for horseback fly fishing: fishing gear, float tubes, flies, lunch/water and, of course, horses. Guests are encouraged to bring personal items such as weather appropriate clothing and outerwear, sunglasses, hat with a brim and a fishing license. Fishing licenses should be purchased only after booking a trip and visiting with one of our knowledgeable staff members.

Cache Creek Outfitters feels that this is our most unique and special fishing and riding opportunity because both the fishermen and non-fishermen can get equal value from such a special trip.

Trail Rides

If a full horseback fly fishing trip is not what you’re looking for, Cache Creek Outfitters offers relaxing horseback trail riding through some of the most beautiful areas of Montana and the Northwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. Full day, half day and two-hour rides are available. If it has to do with fly fishing or horseback riding, this is the place for you!

Cache Creek Outfitters specializes at matching riders and horses for a safe and enjoyable riding experience. We have dependable kids horses all the way to horses that can keep an expert rider’s attention, all the while never missing the spectacular scenery and enjoyment of the ride. Our horses take individuals of all different experience levels riding throughout the summer, and guest safety and enjoyment is our first and foremost concern. As Ronald Reagan said, “There’s nothing better for the soul of a man than the outside of a horse.”

Pack Trips (Full Day or Overnight)

Cache Creek Outfitters offers two types of pack trips. The first, listed above, is the full day horseback fly-fishing trip. The second option, for the more adventurous soul, is a multi-day overnight pack trip in Yellowstone National Park.  Click here to find out more information about our trips to Yellowstone.

18-year journey: Man makes 5th trip across the US in horse-drawn carriage

by CNN Newsource/KGWN/WKRC

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (CNN Newsource/KGWN/WKRC) - Making a journey across the United States isn't a rare occurrence. Plenty of people have driven, biked, and even walked across the county.

But one man has crossed the U.S. four times, and he hasn't done it by modern standards. In fact, he has made the journey in a more traditional way, on a horse-drawn carriage.

"I travel to nursing homes to meet people, go to schools, I do my show and tell, this is a horse. You know, a lot of people have never seen a horse," said Lee, the man crossing the U.S. on a horse-drawn carriage.

It all started back in 2006 when Lee first left East Glacier, Montana. Since then, he has traveled across the country four times.

Lee, who is accompanied by his loyal horse Jessie, is now on his fifth trip crossing the U.S. Surprisingly, Lee gave a very down-to-earth response as to why he makes the journeys.

"[I'm] 63 years old. I don't have any family, so I figured why the hell not? See what goes on in the world," said Lee.

In September of 2023, Lee's original carriage was hit by a car, but that setback didn't stop him from continuing his journey. According to Lee, the carriage can only travel about three miles per hour, so when asked what makes his day the most, Lee said it's when they give him space to travel.

"That's the biggest issue, just give me enough room. I'm driving, but I'm like anybody who's driving," said Lee.

Currently, they're on their way back to the east coast. The next stop is Boston. And even though they have a long way to go, Lee said it's an experience he will never forgo.