Montana Family Vacation

DAY 1

We meet you in Billings, Montana at 9:30 AM and after a brief orientation head to nearby Pictograph Caves State Park to become amateur archaeologists and contemplate the origins of human habitation in Montana.  After a picnic lunch, we'll shuttle to Red Lodge and go straight to our horse camp to meet our wranglers for a 1.5-hour ride up onto the plateau, where we'll have sweeping views of the mountains on one side and plains on the other. This evening we'll dine at Bogarts, a family-friendly local eatery also known for its margaritas. After dinner (depending on the day of the week), we'll reconvene to drive over the hill to watch the pig races at the Bearcreek Saloon - to our knowledge, this is the only place in the country where you can do that! These adorable and humorous races were created to attract tourists but also to raise money for a scholarship fund for local students.

DAY 2

Rise and shine! After breakfast prepared by your guides, we'll drive to the nearby town of Absarokee for a fun and splashy family-friendly raft trip down the Stillwater River. We'll practice our paddling, listening to our raft guides for instructions on what to do and when to do it. On a hot summer day, stopping at our favorite swimming hole will seem like a good idea, won't it? Once back on dry land, we'll enjoy a picnic along the river before returning to Red Lodge. In the afternoon, we'll visit the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary to see incredible wildlife like wolves, bears, bison, big cats and raptors up close. The sanctuary provides a lifelong home to non-releasable native Montana wildlife while sharing a message of conservation and education. For those who want to play, we can enjoy a leisurely game of disc golf or do a scavenger hunt in town afterwards. Should we tell your kids about the world's greatest candy store, which happens to be on main street in Red Lodge? That is up to you! This evening for dinner, let our guides entertain your kids at the pool with a pizza party while you eat at our favorite local tapas restaurant.

DAY 3

Today is a day for hiking in the Beartooth Mountains. These are some of the most rugged and isolated mountains in the continental United States. Yet, at the same time, there are excellent family hikes. We'll choose one that meanders along the a small creek, meaning we'll make slight uphill progress but never get beyond the skills of our littlest members. (Adults can choose to go ahead a bit more quickly if they wish.) In the afternoon, we'll jump in the van for a drive over the border into Wyoming and the small town of Cody, named for Buffalo Bill. We'll learn about the history by visiting Old Trail Town, where Cody himself started the town, to view a slew of old buildings and artifacts. We'll watch a fun Wild West Show in front of the Cody Hotel and enjoy a western style dinner. After dinner, we'll head over to the Cody Stampede Rodeo, an authentic small-town Western experience. Some of our troop might get a few winks on the drive back into Red Lodge after such a long day.

DAY 4

This morning we will have some free time before we head up into the mountains for a spectacular drive along the Beartooth Highway, a National Scenic Byways All-American Road. This 68-mile road winds its way up and through the Beartooth Mountains, through southwest Montana and northwest Wyoming, and leads into Yellowstone National Park at its Northeast Entrance. We'll not be driving the entire road but we'll stop along the way to stretch our legs, take a sip of some of the freshest water you'll ever drink (right out the side of the mountain!), throw some rocks in a few lakes, and get out for a couple short hikes. Back in town we'll have a final dinner at a taco joint that is beloved by kids and adults.

DAY 5

Today you can choose to sleep in or take a short early morning hike on the bench above Red Lodge with mountain views in every direction. We check out and head back to Billings, arriving in time to take an early afternoon flight back home, or extend your travels by renting a car.