Pryor Mountains Working Ranch Wyoming USA This ranch in the Pryor Mountains is an authentic working cattle and horse ranch South of Billings, Montana. It is not a dude ranch! Hard working cowboys have taken care of this ranch since 1889 and they will ride with you on 40,000 acres of their open grassland country while taking care of 800 cows calf pairs. Montana's "Big Sky Country" takes you away from swimming pools and golf courses to a remote, quiet setting where you can hear the babbling creek at night and see breathtaking scenery no matter what direction we decide to ride in that day. The ranch also raises their own herd of trusty quarter horses. Being a cowboy has always been a secret dream of many men and women. To a cowboy, the horse is not a pet but a companion and partner with whom he works and depends on to accomplish great tasks. That is what we offer at this ranch - a beautiful country setting to befriend a great cow horse who will help you turn your first  errant cow back into the herd and help you to feel what it is like to be a real cowboy in Wyoming. The ranch is located in very picturesque, peaceful, and calm countryside at the border of Montana and Wyoming. It is rolling, native grasslands with areas of pines and canyons, laying along the Eastern slope of the majestic Pryor Mountains which run East and West. Very few people have ever invaded its serene and spacious lands. As you  leave the paved highway and start up the canyon along the rutted road toward the mountain, you actually feel as if you are traveling back in time. Ranch weeks are all about a cowboys life - caring for the land (33,000 acres) is a loving stewardship. Caring for the 800 head of cows and calves after a long winter and a well earned change of focus at the ranch.  Each day will include riding, working cattle and returning strays to their pastures and gathering cattle. We have branding in the spring and gathering and weaning in the fall. Some weeks include a Mini Horse Drive as well. Come ride with our cowboys, it will change your life perspective forever! The sun rises at 4:30 right along with our cook and each morning the bell rings at 7:00 for breakfast (coffee is always on at 5:30). Do you want to share in the first best experience? The best place to experience this thrill is on the canyon rims at 6:30 each morning with your camera. Our wranglers will take you with them (if you want to go) to bring in the horse rumuda on one of these peaceful mornings. If you want to ride, then ask Mike to put your name on the list early. This is one of the first most memorable experiences we share with our guest during their stay at the ranch. Any ranch week may include: branding, vaccinating, roping, mini-veterinary needs, wrangling the cavvy, holding herd, salting, fencing, rotating pastures, bull gathering, weaning calves, pregnancy testing cows, weaning colts, working mare bands, occasional horse drives and rounding up strays. Each activity depends on the time of year you decide to join us. Generally, ranch weeks include several of the activities listed above.  Working Ranch Suitable for riders over 210 lbs Meeting: Billings airport Airport: Billings MT Transfer: Billings MT 4:00PM Sunday Riders: Min 6 riders Max 12 riders (per riding group) Max Capacity 12 Trip Brochure (PDF) Trip Rating Video

Packages and Options

Click here for updated current rates.

 

Transfer and Other Charges:

Transfers available from Billings airport at 3:00 PM. If you plan on driving, meet us in Billings or Lovell first! Drop-off time is 12:00 PM on the last day.

This is an authentic working cattle and horse ranch south of Billings, Montana. Four generations of cowboys have taken care of this ranch since 1889 and you will ride with our family who owns and takes care of this working ranch since 1998. 

We raise our own horses…some of which our guests ride and some we sell as young cowboy prospects. Horses work better when they have a job and cows give them great challenges in this wide, open grassland country.  To a cowboy his horse is not his pet.  He is a partner in the days work and the challenges of mountain country and free-range cows and a job to accomplish. 
Our guests have the opportunity to ride in mountain country on a well trained cow horse who grew up walking on mountain trails and moving cows from summer pastures to fall grazing to winter rangeland.  You will ride several horses during the week.

Our weeks at the ranch have a variety of activities that come around each year. Most of our weeks involve working with cattle.  



Each morning begins as the cook heads for the cookhouse and our wranglers head with their horses out to gather in the cavvy. There will be several horses that each guest will ride during the week. Horses are picked by our head cowboy according to the riding abilities of each guest. They are carefully chosen to give you a challenging experience as well as a safe one. Your horse will be your favorite memory by Friday.
Every week we have a campfire, and you will prepare your tinfoil dinner to cook on the fire. We love the conversation and friendships that happen around the fire, as we eat marshmallows and brand your chinks or clothing with our brand. 
We always have something going on and whatever time of year you choose to come and ride with us we always have a real ranch atmosphere for you to experience. 

Spring
In late May and early June we brand calves for several weeks so we can prove ownership and work the cows and calves more easily. Our branding weeks include gathering cows and calves.  Sorting cows with their calf (called a pair) out of the gathered herd and when we have 50 pairs take them to the holding pasture so we can brand them the next day.  We brand at least two groups of pairs during your weeks stay, weather permitting. 
This is a once a year time when guests as well as cowboys work together to give vaccination shots, notch ears, hold down beefy strong calves while they are branded, and castrate the bull calves. It takes a cowboy crew to rope by the two hind feet and drag the calf near the branding fire to be wrestled down so these markings and vaccinations can be given.  Great comradery and team work bonds everyone together.
As a guest during branding you will be involved in one of the oldest of cowboy traditions, as it was done in the 19th century. You are welcome to participate in all of the get down and dirty work you would like to experience. These weeks also offers many hours of riding as you gather the herd to brand and return them to spring pastures.


Summer
Summer days are anything but lazy at the Ranch. Running a ranch is a full-time business and our cowboys and crew are devoted to the upkeep and management of the land and livestock. During the summer months on every horseback ride we find and check cattle. Stray cows and calves are sought out on neighboring ranches, sick or injured animals are roped and doctored, fences are checked and fixed after cattle are returned to our pastures, water holes and springs are looked at to make sure they are flowing.
Our cowboys devote a great deal of time to working with young horses during the summer months. Two and three year olds are becoming mature enough to begin making small rides to move cattle or just become acquainted with the outside world with a rider accompanying them. The cowboys will take several weeks teaching the young horses to be caught, led, wear a saddle, carry a rider on a cattle drive, and begin responding to “a feel”. This is a remarkable process and a wonderful opportunity to watch horsemen at work.

June is when we choose mare bands and add stallions for the breeding season. These babies give the cowboys the opportunity to break and train the horses. These weeks are also when we condut our 'mini horse drives'.
Our mini horse drives take place in the summer months when grass gets short and horses need to be moved to better pasture. Sometimes it is also necessary to remove fresh horses for riding purposes. These mini horse drives are usually slower paced than our full week horse drives. During these weeks, we can teach and move slower with our horses so guests can learn confidence and skill .
The drives will be at the ranch and we will be moving young stock from pasture to pasture, stud and mare bands out to summer grazing and small groups of the horse cavvy down to Hough Creek for vet appointments.
There will most likely also be cattle work involved during this week, as cattle need to be checked weekly.

Late July and August are weeks that cows are grazing and growing the baby calves but we still ride through them to doctor sick calves and move them to better grass when needed.


Fall
The fall weeks mean longer days and lots of riding. All our cowboys share in the gathering of 33,000 acre pastures and bringing each cows and calves to the ranch to give pre-weaning shots and again two weeks later to wean the calves. After the calves are weaned and hauled to Wyoming, we pregnancy test our cows and hope for a 100% pregnancy rate for the next year. These large gathers are a thrill few get to experience. 
This is an opportunity to ride in big country somewhat alone gathering 800 or better head of cattle and moving them 6 - 8 miles back to the ranch to be worked in a large set of corrals.
This is also the time when we start gathering mares to do the registration papers on the weanling colts and trailing the cows back to Wyoming. 
The guest season ends in early November. 


Winter (ranch closed to guests)
During the winter the head wrangler stays at the ranch and cares for our mare band in the spring creek pasture and our guest horse cavvy and older colts in the south pasture. The creek has been frozen so he has had to pump water everyday as well as keep the ice out of the tanks. Riding in below zero temperatures creates special challenges for keeping horses on their feet and our riders safe also.
Winter also brings time to research stud and mare bloodlines so that we can put together our mare bands in the spring and create the kind of horses bloodlines that are most popular for ranch raised horses. 
 


2024 RANCH WEEKS - WORKING CATTLE AND HORSE ACTIVITIES ON RANCH 
June 2nd - 8th - Gather cows and calves, sort pairs & brand calves.
June 9th - 15th - Gather cows and calves, sort pairs & brand calves.
June 16th - 22nd - Finish up branding and take cows to distant pastures.
June 23rd - 29th - Fixing fence, doctoring for sickness & rotating pastures.
July 21st - 27th - Fixing fence, doctoring for sickness & rotating pastures.
July 28th - Aug. 3rd - Fixing fence, doctoring for sickness & rotating pastures.
Aug. 25th - 31st -  Fixing fence, doctoring for sickness & rotating pastures.
Sep. 1st - 7th - Bringing back cattle and putting out strays.
Sep. 8th - 14th - Gathering cows for ranch weaning and putting out strays.
Oct. 6th - 12th - Putting cows on Fall pastures and looking for unweaned calves.

                                                Lovell area

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average High Temperature (°F)	30	37	49	59	68	78	87	85	74	60	44	32
Average Low Temperature (°F)	5	12	22	31	41	50	55	52	42	31	19	8
Average High Temperature (°C)	-1	3	10	15	20	26	31	30	23	16	7	0
Average Low Temperature (°C)	-15	-11	-5	0	5	10	13	11	5	-1	-7	-13
Average Precipitation (days of rain)	1	1	1	3	4	4	2	2	2	2	1	1

Source: NOAA


Seasons
As always weather is unpredictable in the mountains. Be prepared for temperatures anywhere from the low 30's F (nights) to the high 70's F (days) during spring and fall. Temperatures sometimes reach the 90s F in the summer, but the nights are cool, particularly in the mountains. Even in summer months, snow in the higher elevations is common.

During the summer weather is quite dependable, but in the mountain one needs to be prepared for all conditions, since conditions can change in a very short time. May, parts of June, and parts of September can have cool days. Warm jackets, spare riding pants and riding boots are essential. We also recommend a wind and rain breaker and hat. Rain slickers can be rented for $10 a week. Don't forget your sunscreen. Linens and Towels are provided at the ranch. Bring some cash for gratuities or shopping in the store (they do accept credit cards as well!), but cash is needed if you choose to leave a tip.

We suggest that you bring clothes that will layer easily: long sleeved shirts, vests, jackets, chinks or chaps, sweatshirts, cap or better still a wide brimmed hat, gloves, wildrag or scarf, spurs, and of course your camera. (we do rent a pommel packet with spurs, strap, scarf & water bottle for $5.)
Standard equipment for riding are boots with a heel and perhaps hiking boots when we are not riding. A rain slicker is a good idea or we also rent these. It not only protects from rain but it is great for breaking the wind, if we have some.

The ranch has a small ranch store with all sorts of items and gifts, so it's a good idea to wait and see if you need it. How about sunscreen, chapstick, gloves, slickers (no ponchos), pommel bags, chinks, cowboy hat, wildrags, stampede strings, belts, S belt buckles, and several gift items for your return home. Instead of saddle bags we recommend pommel bags which fit over the saddle horm. The ranch store stocks most items. Because we are so remote it is impossible to return to town to pick up extra items. If you don't have some of the items mentioned above, we have a small ranch store, which carries most of these items. In addition, if you don't want to purchase the items listed above, we have rental items available for your convenience.

Bring your guitar, if you want, and share our campfire. Brush up on your storytelling and jokes --- getting to know each other is a #1 priority.
This list is only a guideline for you

• Travel documents and Voucher
• Flight tickets
• Passport
• Visa (check with your consulate)

RIDING GEAR

 

• Two Pairs of Riding Pants
• Riding Boots
• Riding helmet (recommended for all trips)- not available to rent, so please bring one if you choose to wear one.
• Riding gloves
• Sun Hat or Stetson
• Rain Coat, Windbreaker- available to rent

PERSONAL CLOTHING

• Warm Sweater and Jacket
• Comfortable T-Shirts/Shirts
• Jeans
• Shorts
• Underwear and socks
• Pyjama
• Bag for dirty clothes
• Sneakers

ADDITIONAL THINGS TO BRING 

• Personal Toiletries
• Moisturizing Cream
• Insect protection
• Personal medications
• Sore cream (for an emergency)
• Sewing kit
• Handkerchiefs
• Camera and enough extra film and batteries
• Belt pack
• Address book and pen (for postcards!)
• Sun glasses with strap
• Sun tan lotion and lip balm
• Flashlight, extra Batteries
• Pocket Knife (not essential)

 

Average ratings from 13 tour feedbacks (see details below) Horses: (5) Excellent (4) Very Good (3) Good (2) Satisfactory (1) Not Satisfactory Saddle/Tack: Accommodations: Meals: Host/Guide: other Riders: Name Date justin johnson 8/1/2023 udo nesshoever 10/17/2012 elizabeth hoegeman 9/27/2010 stephanie kroeger 10/8/2007 mary farr 10/5/2007 donna armstrong 9/25/2007 donna armstrong 7/9/2007 karen petch 3/19/2007 max sapinsky 3/16/2007 max sapinsky 9/21/2006 brian lennox 9/21/2006 diane duhaime 8/19/2002 arline jilek 5/21/2002

Accommodations
This is a stationary ride, so all nights will be spent at the ranch.

Description
The ranch, located South of Billings (Montana), comprises about 33,000 acres, which include a canyon, the original Indian buffalo jump, and different elevations of mountains all around the canyon. During the time at the ranch you will stay in the bunkhouse or in one of the cabins. Towels are provided for the trip. The Lodge is a big meeting room where we give out the pommel bags and accessories and sign the Rider Releases. There is also a small store in the lodge with basic ranch needs, gloves, vests, Tee shirts, cowboy hats, scarves, etc. There is a cookhouse building which is the main gathering place for social things and for meals.
Limited WIFI is available at the ranch.



Bunkhouse 
The bunkhouse is a remodeled old milk barn built back in the late 1800 and early 1900.  It has been divided into 4 single rooms on the ground floor and 4 different size rooms upstairs, which was originally the hay loft.  We have built 2 bathrooms at the end of the porch, and 2 more bathrooms at the end of the porch of the Lodge, just across the road. We have blended old and new in a western way by leaving the old log look and mixing it with hot water, heat, and electricity. The bunkhouse has an inviting front porch to sit on and enjoy a quiet moment to yourself or share cowboy stories with other guests.

Cabins
Down the canyon from the bunkhouse we have 3 cabins. The cabins are decorated with old ranch pictures decorate the walls from Montana cattle drives gone by. The cabins do have private bathrooms. If they are available, they can be reserved by paying the cabin upgrade cost.

Room Occupancy
The bunkhouse rooms can be shared between up to 4 adults.
The cabins can host a maximum of 3 adults per cabin.



Meals
All meals are included except for the last dinner in Billings.

Guests eat 3 meals a day with the family and cowboys in the cookhouse. Ranch home-style meals are served with hot homemade breads. Each week we serve tender angus beef steaks, top sirloin roast, healthy vegetables, fresh salads, homemade desserts and lots of chocolate chip cookies for the kid in all of us. We promote beef on our ranch from pasture to plate.  One of the meals we are famous for is our Indian Tacos.

Since we are located on the Crow Indian Reservation, Government Regulations does not allow alcohol be on the land.

Dietary Restrictions
We can cater to dietary restrictions if given prior notice.

This trip can accommodate special dietary requests.

Tack:		Western
Horses:		Quarter horse
Pace:		All paces, some long days in the saddle
Level:		(3 to 3 out of 5)    Intermediate
Weight:		Max 220 lbs / 100 kg
Riders:		Min 6 riders	Max 12 riders (per riding group)	Max Capacity 12

No riding on ranch departure day - Saturday. Riding is instead increased during the week (5 riding days).

Staff
We are a family owned and operated working guest ranch. We have a normal staff of eight people who live at the ranch throughout the season. We have two full-time cowboys and two seasonal working cowboys or cowgirls. The other family members help out when needed. On occasion, we have neighboring cowboys who come to ride colts, or fill in at peak work times.

Horses
The Ranch has been raising registered American Quarter Horses for over 40 years. We gather our mares only a few times a year, and we are proud to say that our foals hit the ground in big, rough country, without human intervention. Before we ever lay hands on them, they already know how to handle themselves in rough terrain, cross water, and navigate the elements of nature.
We have cavvy horses, mares with foals, studs, yearlings, 2 year-olds we begin training, and then the riding horses the cowboys have personally or take in to ride for other people. We normally have around 150 horses on the ranch during the season.
We pick horses that will complement each guests riding ability and our cowboy crew shows each guest how to brush and prepare their horse to ride.  You will saddle and bridle your own horse each day, which increases the bond of rider and horse. 
During your stay, you will usually ride two or three horses per week. We usually do not ride the same horse every day. It is easier on the horses if they are given days off from being ridden. This also increases your riding ability as you learn the habits of each horse and test your ability to adapt to each horses personality.

Daily Schedule
Each day is different, and the schedule depends on the work that we need to accomplish. We have at least two days a week that are all-day rides of about 5-6 hours. The other three days are days we come back to the ranch for lunch, but we ride three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon. Before and after our rides we take care of chores and other ranch-related activities that need to be done.

Bringing your own tack
You are more than welcome to bring your own western saddle if you should choose. You can bring it on the plane with you, but we recommend shipping it ahead of time. Just let us know if you plan to bring a saddle and we can plan accordingly.

Bringing your own horse
The ranch is at an altitude of 4800-5600ft with a rocky, mountainous terrain. Most horses cannot travel and work in those conditions without an adjustment period. In addition, we cannot risk the health problems that an outside horse could bring to our herd of horses who are not normally exposed to outside diseases.

Passports

Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in the chart ; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy (see Contact Addresses).

Passport Note

(a) For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program (see below), passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry.

(b) All travellers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program require individual machine-readable passports. Children included on a parent's passport also now require their own machine-readable passport. Travellers not in possession of machine-readable passports will require a valid USA entry visa.

(c) Passports issued on or after 26 October 2005 will need to have a biometric identifier in order for the holder to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Machine-readable passports issued between 26 October 2005 and 25 October 2006 require a digital photograph printed on the data page or an integrated chip with information from the data page. Machine-readable passports issued on or after 26 October 2006 will require an integrated chip with information from the data page (e-passport).



The US has announced new measures that require all travellers to provide details online 72 hours prior to travel.

ESTA: The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) came into force on 12 January 2009. It is a fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA applications must be submitted at least 72 hours before travel to the USA. Some websites may charge you for the service but you can apply online for free at www.dhs.gov. The granting of an ESTA does not guarantee entry to the USA.

 

New Requirements for Travellers: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport, or other approved document, when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced on 1 June 2009.

For further details about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit the website of the US Department of State: (website: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html).

Visas

Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except:

1. nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa.

Visa Note

(a) Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are not eligible to enter the USA without a visa. (b) All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. (d) To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport, for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days. (e) Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form. Note: Airlines are also required to collect passenger details, including the address of their first night's accommodation in the USA, before they board the aircraft. (f) 2. Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Protected Person, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. A passport which states holder has right of abode or indefinite leave to remain in the UK does not qualify for visa free travel. (g) A visa does not expire with the expiry of the holder’s passport. An unexpired, endorsed visa in an expired passport may be presented for entry into the USA, as long as the visa itself has not been cancelled, is undamaged, is less than 10 years old and is presented with a valid non-expired passport, provided that both passports are for the same nationality. (h) Nationals of countries not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Types of Visa and Cost

Tourist, Business, Transit and Student: US$131.

Validity

Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally six months; there is, however, no set time.

Applications to:

Embassy or consulate (see Contact Addresses).

Working Days Required

Usually five after interview. Some cases may take up to 12 weeks – check with embassy/consulate.

Passport Required?
British	Yes
Australian	Yes
Canadian	Yes
USA	N/A
Other EU	Yes
Visa Required?
British	No/2
Australian	No
Canadian	No
USA	N/A
Other EU	1
Return Ticket Required?
British	Yes
Australian	Yes
Canadian	No
USA	N/A
Other EU	Yes

This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult the embassy or consulate for updated info.