Package rate includes pre- and post-ranch lodging and meals. Recommended staff gratuity (12-18%) and tax not included. Age limit 12 years; Limited to 10 participants in good physical condition (minimum 6 participants per trip)
PAYMENT: We request payment of 1/2 of the total charges to secure your vacation within 10 days of your request. The deposit must be sent within 10 days of the 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 3% convenience fee will be added. Groups: We can customize exclusive pack trips, but require a minimum party size of 8.
CANCELLATION POLICY: If you need to cancel, we will refund 50% of the deposit by 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/, Travel Guard at 877-249-5376, or www.travelguard.com. If you choose not to purchase travel insurance, please understand that our cancellation policy has no exceptions. Any changes made to your reservation after booking that reduce the number of participants will result in a forfeiture of 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: $150 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 your flight arrival before 2:00 pm.
Departure: The JJJ van will leave the Ranch around 9:30 am on departure day and arrive in Great Falls around 11:30 am. Please make sure the flight is after 12: pm 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 if you have an early flight out on departure day, you must rent a car.
Complete our Pack-trip Eligibility Form
Bob Marshall Wilderness pack trips are limited in number and size each year in coordination with the Forest Service and Wilderness rules. We also offer custom trips not listed.
2027 WILDERNESS TRIPs
TRIP #1: NORTH FORK OF THE SUN RIVER RIDING & FISHING TRIP ◆ JUNE 20th – 25th, 2027 ◆ $3500 plus tax
ARRIVAL DAY: June 20th ◆ DEPARTURE DAY: June 25th ◆ Includes 2 Ranch nights and 4 trail days
TRIP OVERVIEW: A perfect trip to relax in a large and stunning mountain valley with opportunities to day ride, fly fish, and hike.
This fun backcountry adventure begins at the Ranch, riding along Gibson Reservoir and traveling into the heart of the Sun River Valley, camping along Glenn Creek, a fast-flowing stream originating on the slopes of Sheep Mountain. It’s a fisherman’s paradise with Rainbow, Brook, and Cutthroat trout. Head out on a hike, relax, and read a book at camp, or join in on scenic day rides to Bear Top Fire Lookout or Gates Park Ranger Station. Thursday takes us back to the ranch up and over Elk Hill for another awesome 360-degree view, and we get back in the late afternoon. There will be stories at dinner tonight! This trip is designed for guests who love wildlife watching, scenic day rides, fishing, and hiking—a true Montana wilderness experience at the unhurried, timeless pace of traveling by horseback.
DETAILS
Check-in at the ranch at 4:00 pm on June 20th. After settling into your cabin, we’ll pack your duffel and sleeping bag for the trip. Bring an overnight bag with anything you may need this evening and the next morning. You can leave extra items in your cabin while in the backcountry. It’s fun to watch the wranglers mantying the duffel and preparing for the trip at the barn. After dinner in the lodge, you’ll become acquainted with your fellow pack-trippers and staff. Breakfast is at 7:00 am the following morning, then head to the barn for a horsemanship safety session and become familiar with your horse as we discuss trail manners and trip dynamics. We’ll hit the trail around 8:30 am and will have a break before our lunch stop, then arrive at camp around 3 pm. After 4 days on the trail, you will return to the ranch in the afternoon on the 24th in time for a shower and dinner. Departure is after breakfast on the 25th. If we return you to the airport, we leave the ranch around 9:15 am and get to Great Falls by 11:15.
TRIP #2: HIGH COUNTRY ADVENTURE TRIP ◆ JULY 10th – 17th, 2027 ◆ $5250 plus tax
ARRIVAL DAY: July 10th ◆ DEPARTURE DAY: July 17th ◆ Includes pickup from the Great Falls airport and 1 night at the West Fork of the Teton River trailhead, 7 trail days, dinner at the trailhead, then transfer back to Great Falls later on July 17
TRIP OVERVIEW: Experience high country adventure deep within the famous Bob Marshall Wilderness, a place many don’t get the privilege to enjoy.
This pack trip is designed for strong intermediate or advanced riders only, as there will be longer days in the saddle to get to the high country.
Heading out north from the West Fork of the Teton trailhead over Crazy Creek Divide up the South Fork of Birch Creek over Gateway Pass to Big River Meadows. We will spend two nights at Big River Meadows, a spectacular high-mountain meadow area surrounded by majestic peaks, deep in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Day 2 finds us day riding to Crystal Ridge along the East Fork of Strawberry Creek for top-of-the-world views. Day 3 has the group moving down to the Middle Fork of the Flathead River, ending the day at Switchback Creek. The next two days offer a combination of exploring the country by horseback, hiking, or fishing for Cutthroat trout. Day 6 moves east up Bowl Creek to the Forks of Bowl Creek and Basin Creek. On the last day, we will cross the Continental Divide once more over Teton Pass, arriving at the trailhead by mid-afternoon. We’ll celebrate with refreshments, appetizers, then dinner before returning to a hotel of your choice in Great Falls.
DETAILS
Our ranch shuttle will pick you up at the Great Falls airport at 1:30 pm on July 10th. We will head to the West Fork of the Teton Trailhead, where we will camp overnight. Get acquainted with other pack trip guests and the trip staff, and enjoy a BBQ cookout. It’s fun to watch the wranglers mantying the duffle and preparing for the trip. Breakfast is at 7:00 am the following morning, followed by a horsemanship safety session and time to become familiar with your horse as we discuss trail manners and trip dynamics. We’ll hit the trail around 8:30 am and will have a break before our lunch stop, then arrive at camp around 3 pm. After 7 days on the trail, you will return to the trailhead on the 17th in time for a post-trip dinner and transportation back to Great Falls. This trip does not begin or end at the ranch.
Our Pack trips are fully outfitted with complete camp gear, mountain-savvy saddle horses, pack mules, and a competent, congenial crew of 5-6, including packers, a guide, and a cook. The meals are delicious and plentiful (we don’t skimp!). Each day offers outstanding horseback riding to explore the surrounding country. Besides the magnificent scenery, you can also enjoy great hiking and wildlife watching. Fishermen enjoy superb rainbow and cutthroat trout fishing on Biggs Creek. Evening campfires with “wild tale telling” provide a relaxing end to a busy day.
TRIP #3: NORTH FORK TRIP ◆ AUGUST 15TH – 20TH, 2027 ◆ $3500 plus tax (TRIP IS FULL)
ARRIVAL DAY: August 15th ◆ DEPARTURE DAY: August 20th◆ Includes 2 Ranch nights and 4 trail days
TRIP OVERVIEW: An ideal trip to experience the stunning beauty of the Bob Marshall Wilderness
Beginning at the Ranch, we saddle up and follow the shoreline of Gibson Reservoir before riding deep into the quiet, rugged beauty of the Bob Marshall Wilderness and the heart of the Sun River Valley. Our destination is a comfortable base camp along Biggs Creek, a clear, fast-flowing mountain stream surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery. It’s the perfect place to slow down and enjoy the unhurried rhythm of life on horseback. Anglers can cast for Rainbow, Brook, and Cutthroat trout, while others can hike, relax at camp, watch for wildlife, or simply take in the scenery. Scenic day rides also take you to Bear Top Fire Lookout and the historic Gates Park Ranger Station. On Thursday, we break camp and ride back to the Ranch via Elk Hill, where sweeping 360-degree views of the mountains and valley below await. It’s a spectacular final look at the country we’ve explored before descending toward the Ranch, where we arrive in the late afternoon. This is Montana at its wildest—experienced the way it was meant to be, from the back of a horse, at the steady, timeless pace of the trail.
DETAILS
Check-in at the ranch at 4:00 pm on August 15th. After settling into your cabin, we’ll pack your duffle and sleeping bag for the trip. Bring an overnight bag with anything you may need this evening and the next morning. You can leave extra items in your cabin while in the backcountry. It’s fun to watch the wranglers mantying the duffle and preparing for the trip at the barn. After dinner in the lodge, you’ll become acquainted with your fellow pack-trippers and staff. Breakfast is at 7:00 am the following morning, then head to the barn for a horsemanship safety session and become familiar with your horse as we discuss trail manners and trip dynamics. We’ll hit the trail around 9:00 am and will have a break before our lunch stop, then arrive at camp around 3 pm. After 4 days on the trail, you will return to the ranch in the afternoon on the 19th in time for a shower and dinner. Departure is after breakfast on the 20th. If we return you to the airport, we leave the ranch around 9:15 am and get to Great Falls by 11:15.
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. Because of the nature of horseback riding in the wilderness, participants MUST be in good physical condition, and we do not recommend trips if you have any health or physical issues or require a special diet. While we carry a satellite phone for emergencies, it is difficult to bring someone out of a trip to seek medical attention. The emergency helicopter is costly and is for emergencies only. We have the right to exclude a rider from a trip for inability to ride or behavior that endangers the other riders or the horses.
