Arrive at the working cattle ranch known as Bonanza Creek between 3 and 5pm on Sunday afternoon and you’ll be greeted by your host, June Voldseth. You’ll be shown to your cabin where you can unpack, enjoy a glass of home-made lemonade before meeting on the deck of the main lodge for drinks and hors d’oeuvres and chat with fellow guests and owners June and David Voldseth before sitting down for dinner at 6.30pm. Please remember alcohol isn’t included in the price but you’re more than welcome to buy alcohol before arriving at the ranch and it will be served to you throughout your stay.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at 8am at the lodge, before meeting at the stables at 9am ready for your first morning of riding. You’ll be matched with your horse for the week according to you ability and you’ll spend the morning on an introductory ride.

In the afternoon there will be another spectacular ride where you’ll enjoy some cantering.

This morning you’ll go straight to the stables where you’ll mount up and ride to your breakfast locale under a canopy of Aspen trees. After your picnic breakfast you’ll snake your way along Bonanza Creek which carves its way through the mountains. There are plenty of opportunities for a canter in this wild-flower prairie before heading back to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you can try your hand at team penning under the tutelage of the wranglers. Massages are available before and after dinner.

Today you’ll be reaching great heights where you’ll be exploring the Castle Mountains as part of this 25,000 acre property. In July and August, you’ll take the afternoon out of the saddle and meet Larry, the wagoneer and his team of black-as-coal Percherons. You’ll go for a wagon ride and have a camp-fire dinner at the beautiful hunting camp in the Crazy Mountains. You can try your hand at driving these amazing carriage horses.

Today will be an all-day ride with a saddle- bag packed lunch where you’ll ride deep into the majestic, jaw-droppingly beautiful Crazy Mountains. Approximately 6 hours in the saddle. You’ll have a great opportunity to see plenty of wildlife on this ride from prairie dogs to coyotes, bald eagles and rattle snakes!

Friday is all about the cattle work. And it’s legitimate cattle work. Don’t forget this is a working cattle ranch and when they have guests to help move cattle they’re not going to say no! So tighten your stampede strap and get ready to eat some dirt and learn the intricate task of cow punching!

Enjoy your last hearty ranch breakfast, exchange email address, wave goodbye and head back to civilisation. As they say in the wild west – Round them up and move them out!

*With so many trails and places to visit it is imposable to list them all. This is just a sample itinerary of what is possible when taking our lodge riding vacation.

For international guests we recommend you fly into Bozeman on either the Friday or Saturday before the ride starts on the Sunday, so you’re not suffering from jet-lag when it comes time to throw a leg over the saddle. If you’re happy and comfortable to hire a car (driving on the other- side of the road) it’s a straight-forward two hour scenic drive through Bridger Canyon to the ranch. Otherwise there is an airport pick up and drop off transfer service available from Bozeman for $200 USD round trip for up to three people (pick up on Sunday is at approx 1.30pm).