A Working Ranch

When you are a guest for the first time here at the Covered Wagon Ranch, we do our best to treat you like royalty.

After that, you are no longer a guest but a friend. And friends help each other out. So we put you to work and you're lucky if you get so much as a door opened for you.

For example, early this year, we needed some flowers planted. So we put Judith, a long time friend of the Covered Wagon, right on it.

She and her husband, Ken, did a wonderful job, and the flowers still look amazing. I took these pictures just half an hour ago.









They are on the porch of the lodge, on the patio and on the porches of all the cabins. They are gorgeous.

Thank you Judith and Ken. We love you!

Lunch on the Trail

Covered Wagon Ranch lunches are laid back. Actually, I think that makes it sound like more work than it is.

We all get off our horses, and let them go graze.

Some of us eat our lunch, some of us take pictures. But most of us take a nap.



Or we sleep.



And while we are sleeping, the horses are grazing.



Now, I know that I haven't put a video up here before, but all you should need to do is press play. Let me know if it doesn't work. I might try and do something about it.

God's Country

Wanna see where we ride?



This was up in Taylor Basin last week.

Wanna see a forest fire?



This blew up from nothing to five thousand acres in one day! Luckily, it was over a mountain range and far away. But still close enough to choke us almost to death for a couple of days.

And this, is a high alpine lake, which looks turquoise from above, that we found up in the moutains. It was deep and cold.




Wish you were here?

Me too.

The Saturday Night Wrangle

Those of you who have stayed with us know that Saturday evening, we run all the horses up to the top of the mountain.

We trot through the gorge, then thunder round the corner, splash across the river, and up the hill.

Here are some images from last week, courtesy of Jennifer Devore.

Sunshine

This was a ride to sunshine that we took two days ago. It was beautiful, albeit a little smoky from the fire burning up Specimin creek.



They all had fun. I promise.

More About the Covered Wagon Ranch

The Covered Wagon Ranch is a Montana Dude Ranch, nestled in the heart of the Gallatin National Forest, just three miles north of Yellowstone National Park.

We have fun here at the Covered Wagon Ranch. That is what we are all about. What is the point in a vacation if it's not going to be fun? We don't mind saying it ourselves. We are very cool. And our guests are cool dudes. If there were a Montana Cool Dude Ranchers Association, we'd be presidents.

Here at the Covered Wagon Ranch, you can experience Montana with a perfect western dude ranch vacation. If you like horses, then our rocky mountain horseback riding is probably just what you are looking for. We ride in the Gallatin National Forest, the Lee Metcalf Wilderness and Yellowstone National Park, with some of the most beautiful scenery in the world as our backdrop.

If you love to fish, world class fishing holes are just a (long) stones throw away. Stunning photograph opportunities are around every corner, every minute of the day.

Or if you just want to sit on your porch and read, take long walks, naps and practice some yoga, that's fine too.

There is only one requirement if you want to come and stay with us. You have to be a cool dude.