Month: May 2014

Summer can’t be described without the outdoors. Picnics, strolls, anything to get outside and enjoy the once-a-year weather. When planning a vacation, then, why separate yourself from the beauty of nature? Embrace summer this year by visiting the ‘Last Best Place’ state of Montana. Montana is filled with unspoiled nature and at Paws Up you’re offered 37,000 acres to explore and enjoy. When putting together your summer bucket list try adding fly fishing, horseback riding, hot air ballooning, and how about an all-american Cattle Drive?

It’s the truly unique experiences that will be remembered through the years. Summer is a time to actively bond with family and friends so it’s understandable that you’re selective with where you choose to visit during precious time off. Flying into Montana from anywhere in the US means little to no jet lag, and the seclusion of our towering mountains and pines is sought by travelers all over the world. Excellent cuisine paired with luxury accommodations amplifies the experience. Expect nothing less that the freshest ingredients in your meals and the finest wines to sip by the campfire. This is big sky country so whether you’re staying in a luxury private rental or glamping® like royalty be prepared to be dazzled by nature’s night-time display. For an extra special visit come during a meteor shower. Roasting marshmallows for s’mores with endless wish-making gives points for romance and is equally family friendly as well.

The blackfoot river, made famous by the novel ‘A River Runs Through It’, snakes through Paws Up for 10 miles of water adventure. Expert guides know the best spots for fly fishing and take you beyond Paws Up borders to taste all that Montana rivers have to offer. For hikers there’s the Clearwater canoe trail that follows the river, the same area mapped by Lewis and Clark. And it’s not summer without getting wet – ride rapids of all levels in either a raft or inflatable canoe! Swimming holes are also readily available and hot tubs wait on the deck of every vacation home. Cruise on watercrafts or powerboats. There’s also tubing, wakeboarding, a water trampoline, paddle boats and kayaks. Paws Up has all the water gear.

And if you haven’t experienced ‘glamping’ then this summer is the perfect time to find out what all the buzz is about. Even Prince William and Kate Middleton have been in recent glamping news. Imagine camping – minus all the sleep deprivation and lack of hygiene. In glamping camping sites, Paws Up style, expect luxury level accommodations with a camp butler and chef to compliment your outdoor stay. It’s the dude ranch feel with your best tastes in mind. Visit Spa Town to unwind and be soothed by nature’s own soundtrack of babbling creek and gentle rustling wind.

This is summer versatility with 37,000 acres to capture an entire range of summertime activities. Whether your group is the size of two or twenty plus, The Resort at Paws Up has private accommodations for you. One luxury vacation home, one tent, an entire camp or any combination thereof can be arranged for you to experience the unfiltered nature of Montana through a medium of pure luxury. Bliss.

There are few things more iconic in America then the cowboy. The Ranch defines the west where open land was settled and cattle roamed and were gathered at roundup time. In the modern era the cowboy is thought to be a thing of the past – but the culture is alive and well. At The Resort At Paws Up there may be a few more amenities (and a leisurely time schedule) but the active outdoors defines this stretch of Wyoming.

A ‘dude ranch’ vacation is a step away from the tech age and into a place where time goes at it’s own pace. If you haven’t experience a dude ranch vacation it’s a must-do for any bucket list. And for a wild west luxury experience that can’t be beat – visit Paws Up. Here there’s the option of staying indoors in your own private vacation home or camping like royalty in ‘glaming’ campgrounds. The ‘big sky’ greets you on sunny mornings and starry nights. Babbling brooks, towering pines, the same cliffs explored by Lewis & Clark, and 37,000 acres of nature made available for you and your fellow bucket-list seeking friends. Add to that a cattle drive where you learn an art that’s stayed more-or-less identical for the past hundred plus years and you’ll leave with a lifetime of memories.

Ever seen the City Slickers film? It’s a movie that the youngest generations might not know, with a release date in 1991, and the old type of special effects – none – but this film does a great job of explaining why a visit to the wilder parts of the west can do us city slickers some good. The Resort At Paws Up makes a point of being much tamer than the Dude Ranch from the film, don’t worry about having to face a stampede or handle the birth of a calf. What you can expect is a range where you can take in the nearly tangible peace or engage in mind-sharpening and verizon-widening activities like the cattle drive, archery, horse riding and more.

The Cattle Drive is led by Mike and his dog sis, who’s so swift at following commands that she seems nearly human herself. And we can’t forget Max, Mike’s faithful steer, who joins every outing like one of the family. The horses you ride are highly trained and respond to neck commands, leaving you one hand free to cast your ropes or high five your fellow cowboy trainees. Once your horse is saddled-up and you’re in place it’s an afternoon of gathering the cattle and trailing them to the working corrals, sorting them, then trailing them back to the home pasture. The Ranch at Paws Up is a working ranch with a couple of hundred head of black angus cattle and over three hundred head of elk, so when you’re out with Mike you’ll be experiencing the real thing.

Whether we recognize the impact of city life or not, taking a breather into the simpler (well…less digitalized) life is a must do upon occasion. While wifi is available and cell service is present, try putting it all away for a weekend and joining the expert guides at Paws Up. And there’s no shame in a little victory dance as you check off one more thing from the bucket list!