The Resort at Paws Up is the ultimate luxury wilderness retreat. It’s Montana at its magnificent best; a historic working ranch where 5-star outback chic, great gastronomy and more than sixty land, water and air-based activities come together in 37,000 acres of big-sky country.
The choices and combinations are endless. Spend a few days in a superb homestead and enjoy land-based activities or head to the riverside for luxury glamping and all things water based. Even better, mix and match for the best of both worlds in the ultimate action-packed adventure.
The best thing is there’s no set agenda. Paws Up is a vast, untouched wilderness set alongside a 10 mile stretch of the legendary Blackfoot River on which we strive to create the perfect holiday for each and every guest.
Wake refreshed in one of Paws Up’s incredible wilderness homes and launch the day with a breakfast feast at ‘Trough’, (huckleberry pancakes are the unmissable highlight here) before the day’s epic activities beckon.
Riding lies at the heart of Paws Up. It’s a way of life here and there’s simply no better way to learn traditional cowboy skills and enjoy the vast landscape than on horseback. There’s tuition for beginners and experts and a whole range of authentic ranch activities on offer including cowboy dude cattle drives, over 100 miles of trails across the meadows and through the woods.
For the intrepid who prefer two legs rather than four (or even four wheels) there’s theadrenaline-pumping and recently expanded high rope course (a hair-raising challenge for even the bravest), heart-pounding ATV expeditions and world-class sporting clay courses as well as the fun but demanding Grizzlyman Fitness forest trail, endless hiking and miles and miles of biking trails including the new and aptly-named Bone Rattler loop.
Appetites sharpened by the morning’s exploits are sated with a hearty western lunch on the terrace and at ‘Trough’ the Ranch Table offers organic grab-and-go for the eager and impatient who are heading off for a full-on afternoon of go-karting and geocaching, archery and abseiling, paintball, ghost town expeditions or a flight in Paws Up’s new hot air balloon for an eagle’s eye view of the scenery.
When the tempo slows, there’s the fabulous ‘Spa Town’ for yoga and pampering and a new air-conditioned gym is hilariously named ‘Huff and Puff’. And for parents in need of down time without their offspring there’s a brilliant menu of supervised, tutored activities, and the Kids Corps of Discovery, a superb programme aimed at inspiring youngsters to push their limits and explore the wonders of the great outdoors.
As evening approaches, scenic horse-drawn wagon rides meander through the landscape, pausing for a glass of chilled prosecco to watch the sinking sun. Fine dining beckons at ‘Pomp’ where the Executive Chef’s creates refined rustic ranch cuisine accompanied by top quality wines. Or for those up for Montana dining al fresco, a wagon ride to the banks of the Blackfoot is the perfect entrée to enjoying a chuck wagon cook-out with campfire classics such as giant ribs and bison burgers followed by horseshoe pitching, cowboy poetry and twinkly banjo music under the stars.