Northwest Montana is a land of magical landscapes filled with beautiful green valleys, lush forests, and majestic mountains. But one of the best parts of this region might be Flathead Country, which surrounds Flathead Lake—the largest natural, freshwater lake in the lower 48 states west of the Mississippi River. We stayed at three incredible dude ranches where we were able to explore the area’s pristine scenery.
Cheff Guest Ranch
Located near the Mission Mountains at the mouth of BartlettCreek on the South Fork of the Flathead River sits Cheff Guest Ranch (cheffranch.com), a guest ranch and outfitting business that has been in the family for four generations; the ranch is currently run by brothers Micky and Toby Cheff.
The Cheff family has been ranching and outfitting in the Bob Marshall Wilderness (also known as “The Bob”) for 86 years. A big part of their program includes raising and training all their own horses for guided rides and wilderness pack trips.
The opportunity to take a real, TrueBlue pack trip into a vast, gorgeous wilderness with a seasoned guide who has done this for years is becoming rare. Often, so-called “pack trips” consist of horseback ride a mile from the lodge to a stationary tent. However, Toby Cheff and his wife, Kendall, say their goal is to give you the Montana vacation you dream about. They run the pack trip portion of the business, Legacy Outfitters, which typically consists of four-pack trips into The Bob per year.
Denne historien er fra Summer 2021-utgaven av Horse and Rider.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra Summer 2021-utgaven av Horse and Rider.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Horse
LIFE TAKES US DOWN different paths, but I seem to be on just one, which is with the horse.
Decoding the Diseases Examined by AQHA's Six-Panel Test
The six-panel test is a diagnostic tool used to assess the genetic predispositions of horses. It's meant to discover if a horse has or is a carrier for certain hereditary diseases and traits.
Love is Good
All horses are assured a hopeful, compassionate plan of care at This Old Horse, a program that helps not only horses but people, too.
HORSE PACKING 101
Take your trail riding to the next level with nature-filled adventures in the back or front country.
NEW HORSE; NEW PROBLEMS
Anew horse can bring excitement and energy to the barn, and even reinvigorate your passion. However, there are also a myriad of new problems that can come with a new horse, so learn how to introduce him properly to avoid these common issues.
First-Timer Tips
Heading to a young rider's first event with their horse can be intimidating. Use these myths and truths to make it smoother sailing for yourself and your young rider.
Re-Rescued: Aslan's Story
One special gelding learns about three different types of love during his rescue journey.
The Country's Hottest Horse Motels
Take your next trail-riding adventure to the next level by staying at one of these six horse motels across the United States.
Outbreak! What We've Learned
Learn how disease outbreaks in recent years have changed the horse industry, and why it's so important to play your part when it comes to disease prevention efforts.
TRAINING THE SENSITIVE HORSE
Shift your mindset and grow your sensitive horse's pressure-handling skills to improve his confidence and your riding enjoyment.