montana vacations ideas | The Last Best Blog

September 11, 2017September 17, 2017

Blackberry Smash Recipe

At The Resort at Paws Up there are countless ways to get outside and get active. But after all that horseback riding, ATV touring and hiking, there’s no better way to cool down than with a fresh cocktail. Our bartending team gets inspired by the local, seasonal ingredients and Montana-made spirits. This Blackberry Smash recipe is just one of our many favorite cocktails which we wanted to share with you so you can create a little slice of Paws Up at home.

Blackberry Smash

Ingredients

A handful of blackberries

The juice of half a lemon

3/4 oz thyme simple syrup

1 3/4 oz Willie’s Distillery’s Big Horn Bourbon

Club soda

Directions

Muddle blackberries, lemon juice and thyme simple syrup. Add ice and bourbon, and shake well. Strain into a Collins glass, ll with ice and top with soda. Garnish with blackberries and thyme sprig.

October 11, 2016October 21, 2016

Bison Tenderloin with Cherry Demi-Glace

The Resort at Paws Up is hosting its first-ever Thanksgiving celebration with plenty of options to satisfy everyone’s tastes. Bison Tenderloin with Cherry Demi-Glace is just one of our main course options. Of course, there will be plenty of turkey and an amazing crab-stuffed rainbow trout option, plus an array of sides, desserts and, of course, wine and spirits. Enjoy the recipe for our bison tenderloin, and feel free to pass it along to your family and friends.

Bison Tenderloin with Cherry Demi-Glace

If you can’t find fresh cherries, purchase cherries in the freezer section of your grocery store. Thaw before using.

Ingredients

1 pound bison tenderloin, sliced into 4-ounce portions

2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil

Salt and pepper to taste

8 ounces ruby red port

4 ounces fresh cherries, pitted (*see note above)

Directions

In a large skillet, sear tenderloin in hot oil over medium-high heat. Season bison with salt and pepper; cook until medium-rare, turning bison on its sides to keep the cooking even, about 7 to 8 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

Simmer the port and cherries 45 minutes to 1 hour over medium-low heat, until the port and cherry sauce takes on a syrupy consistency. (Don’t overcook as the sauce can scorch very quickly.) Serve bison and demi-glace over roasted asparagus and potatoes, if desired. This recipe serves four.

From a petting zoo with pony rides and family game nights to owl watching, hayrides and concerts, plus football and parade watching, there are plenty of options to satisfy everyone’s tastes. Take a hike, horseback ride, ATV ride or enjoy a spa treatment.

Here’s our schedule for November 23—27th:

Wednesday November 23, 2016

Cookie decorating in homes
Petting zoo visits and pony rides
Lighter, leaner lunch options available
Game night in the Bull Barn
Fireside s’mores on The Yard at the Cook Shack

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Extended breakfast hours
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade watching in the Village
NFL game watching with snacks in Tank
Petting zoo visits and pony rides
Owl Prowl bird watching excursion to Jones’ Pond
Hayrides through the Wilderness Estates
Lighter, leaner lunch options available
Thanksgiving Day Festival with apple bobbing, sack races, archery and more on The Yard at the Cook Shack
A grand and glittering Thanksgiving Dinner at Pomp or a private feast delivered to your home and whisked away afterwards
Cookie decorating awards ceremony
Family movie night and wildlife presentation in the Bull Barn
Fireside s’mores on The Yard at the Cook Shack

Friday, November 25, 2016

Resort tour, with visits to the Morris Ranch House, Blackfoot River Lodge, Elk Creek and Cliffside Camp
Petting zoo visits and pony rides
Hayrides through the Wilderness Estates
Tie-dying T-shirts on the Bull Barn patio
Lighter, leaner lunch options available
Black Friday sale at the Wilderness Outpost
Happy hour and whiskey tasting and demonstration with the Rattlesnake Creek Distillery
A special dessert menu including pumpkin pie flambé, an ice cream station with toppings such as flambéed cherries, Bananas Foster and house-made goat cheese pumpkin cheesecake
Pajama party and movie night in the Great Angus Hall
Live musical performance from the Beargrass Bluegrass Band in Tank
Fireside s’mores on The Yard at the Cook Shack

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Resort tour, with visits to the Morris Ranch House, Blackfoot River Lodge, Elk Creek and Cliffside Camp
Petting zoo visits and pony rides
Owl Prowl bird watching excursion to Jones’ Pond
Kids crafts and photo center family fun projects
Lighter, leaner lunch options available
Sale at the Wilderness Outpost
Happy hour and hard cider tasting and demonstration with Brewmaster Lee McAlpine at the Wilderness Outpost
Mini Rodeo at the Equestrian Center
Appetizers and cocktails in the Saddle Club
Show in the Arena
Campfire music jamboree and s’mores on The Yard at the Cook Shack

Sunday, November 27, 2016

NFL game watching with snacks in Tank
Lighter, leaner lunch options available
Family movie night in the Bull Barn

To make reservations for Thanksgiving, please call 877-758-8644 or chat with us.

July 18, 2016

Learn How to be a Skywalker at Paws Up

Skydiving? Yawn. Base jumping? Psychotic. Bungee jumping? Old school. Aerial adventure needed a refresh and Paws Up has delivered. Introducing our newest activity: The Sky Line Aerial Adventure Course. It’s not a ropes course. It’s not a zipline. It’s not a cheesy climbing wall. It’s a spine-tingling 10-platform tour with 22-foot drops and a heart-pounding 40- foot free fall.

Sound like something you’d enjoy? We know so. As is par for the course at our 37,000 acre ranch, we integrated the natural elements available (in this case, towering pines and a very Big Sky) to construct this unique mental and physical challenge. Expert instruction from our qualified guides coupled with state-of- the-art safety mechanisms will ensure a good time for kids ages 8 and up and adults alike. Afraid of heights? We have a course for you. Consider yourself a thrill seeker? We definitely have a course for you. There’s even a course for tweeners! The entire experience lasts two hours and includes a team-building game, orientation, ground school and a full time around the course. The best part? As our guest, we’ll let you try it for the first time free. Find out more about this amazingly fun experience here.

June 9, 2016June 9, 2016

Where You Can Learn to Paint with Water and Wine

We love summer workshops, and last month our brand new Wilderness Workshop, Brushes with Greatness, offered participants a chance to paint alongside a true American master in a breathtaking Montana landscape. Artist George Van Hook is renowned for his impressionistic paintings. His five-day “plein air” watercolor workshop was hosted in a variety of inspiring outdoor settings throughout The Resort. Van Hook has exhibited his award-winning works on three continents and has been teaching art and presenting workshops for more than 30 years. Beginning painting at an early age, Van Hook also spent his formative years traveling overseas to study art and copy other artists’ master works at Europe’s legendary museums, including the Louvre.

Mark your calendars for Bottle & Bottega with Stephanie King-Myers and Nick Myers from June 21—26, 2016. One day in March 2009, Bottle & Bottega founder Stephanie King-Myers and her artist husband, Nick Myers successfully convinced a friend with no artistic skills that she could in fact paint, with the right inspiration. So with a glass of wine in one hand and a paintbrush in the other, the friend successfully created her first masterpiece, and the Bottle & Bottega concept was born! In their workshops, King-Myers and Myers offer a variety of art and media experiences, including canvas painting, mosaics, glass painting, live models and more. Now with three young children of their own, they love introducing families to painting so that together they can create lasting memories! Whether you’re the family Rembrandt or struggle drawing stick figures, Bottle & Bottega will bring out your inner artist. No matter what your skill level is, you’ll produce a painting to be proud of. Also, there’s plenty of wine to help get your creative juices flowing. Enjoy painting at inspiring locations on the ranch, some sunset sessions and some alfresco evening sessions at individual luxury camps. There will also be some vino-free sessions at the Kids Corps of Discovery, so family members of all ages will have a chance to express themselves.