3 Most Requested Activities at Paws Up

Horseback Riding The Resort at Paws Up

Take a wild guess at the three most requested activities at The Resort at Paws Up. If you picked fly-fishing, horseback riding, and ATV trail rides, then you are correct—and you should reward yourself with one of the above! These three activities in particular are extremely popular due to the multiple offerings, times, and uniqueness that come from the setting of the resort. Activities Director Mark Houseman says, “Their popularity stems from the fact that these three activities offer a great representation of the Montana way of life. From the world-class fishing to the wide-open exploration of our state, they allow our guests a way to escape busy city life and marvel at the beauty of the Montana landscape. Personally, my favorite is the three-hour ATV tour, as you get to drive deep into the back part of the property, enjoy the thrill of two hill climbs, snap a photo at the best picture spot at Lookout Rock and experience the ever-changing landscape that you experience along the route.”

atv paws up

For our ATV trail rides, guests can choose from a one and a half-, three-, or five-hour excursion. For the first two options, guests explore the woods, tackle hill climbs, take in the picturesque scenery from Lookout Rock and view the beautiful Blackfoot river. On the five-hour ride, guests will explore the woods, and then take the ATVs off-property to Elevation Peak (about 7,000 feet). Once they have completed this climb on the ATVs, guests will hop off for a hike to the top. From there, views are breathtaking, and guests will experience the grandeur that earned Montana its Big Sky State nickname. Post-hike, adventurers head to Garnet, an abandoned-but-intact ghost town where guests will travel back to the 1800s as they check out the saloon, hotel, general store and so much more. Lunch is provided before driving back to the resort.

Paws Up horseback riding

Horses are iconic to Montana, and riding is probably the first activity that crosses the mind when thinking of Montana. The Resort at Paw Up houses 40 horses on-property for all of our equestrian activities. Whether you are have never been in a saddle before or are a riding expert, Paws Up has something for every ability with one-, two- or three-hour trail rides, cattle drives, lessons and more. The Resort’s wrangler will pair guests with a four-legged friend that will be the perfect match for exploring more than 100 miles of wilderness trails. You will pass towering ponderosa pines, whose size and beauty are surpassed only by the views of the distant mountain ranges of the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

horseback riding at Paws Up

This year, there are several additions to the equestrian program, including a new evening ride that takes you past our quaint line shack (where you will enjoy a glass of wine or a cold beer) to the top of Scout’s Point to take in a signature Montana sunset. Or enjoy a lunch ride to a gorgeous spot in the shade where guests indulge in a Paws Up-style picnic. Kids can participate in lessons at the Saddle Club arena, complete with games, obstacle courses and more, and adult beginners can join instructional group trail rides. For advanced riders, the all-new, three-hour trail ride allows equine enthusiasts to cover terrain that no Paws Up guests have ever traversed. For an authentic taste of Western ranch life, participate in a cattle drive where novice and advanced riders alike saddle up with seasoned ranch hands and drive a herd of cattle across the majestic rolling pastures of the Resort property.

fly fishing Resort at Paws Up

Montana is known for fly-fishing, and Paws Up hosts 10 miles of the Blackfoot River—arguably one of the most famous rivers in which to fly-fish, thanks to the movie “A River Runs Through It.” This gorgeous river flows right through our property, where all of our guided excursions are strictly for fly-fishing. Our guides have fished the surrounding rivers for years and will help you find the best trout fishing holes. At Paws Up, we offer spin rods for guests who are more comfortable with these rods, but only for independent fishing.

fly fishing Paws Up

Also near the resort is the Missouri River—one of the best hot spots for fly-fishing and a treasure trove for trout. This massive river travels approximately 700 miles along the entire state of Montana.

Other options include Bitterroot River—a dry-fly paradise that is famous for 95 percent dry flies and great hatches, which start in mid-March and extend well into October—and the Clark Fork River, the largest river by volume in the state and also one of the longest. The Clark Fork is approximately 310 miles long and is close to the resort. The best fishing on the Clark Fork is found between its origin and the confluence with the Flathead River near Paradise.

How Is Paws Up Different Than A Dude Ranch?

The history of the dude ranch dates back to the 1800s when it was common practice for ranching families to invite friends from the city to visit their cattle ranches. As the railroad stretched throughout the West, ranch owners realized they could attract flocks of city slickers (otherwise known as “dudes”) and the business proliferated.

Today hundreds of ranches offer dude ranching experiences.  Paws Up is situated on a sprawling, 37,000-acre working cattle ranch.  You can join authentic western ranch activities like a cattle drive where novice and advanced riders team up with seasoned ranch hands in driving a herd of cattle.  Guests saddle up their horses and set out to gather the cattle and trail them to working corrals, sort them, then trail them back to their home pasture.  Other ranch activities include a junior wrangler program and scenic wagon rides.

What differentiates The Resort at Paws Up from a Montana dude ranch is a commitment to luxury.  Montana’s premier luxury ranch resort offers first-class service and luxurious accommodations (including private vacation homes and glamping tents) and amenities. At Paws Up, once you dismount, you’ll step into a world of incomparable creature comforts featuring gourmet cuisine, decadent spa treatments, personalized service, and amenities such as flat-screen TVs, wireless Internet, in-home laundry, heated bathroom floors, rain showers, organic spa products and hot tubs.

The dude ranch tradition is alive and well in Montana at Paws Up – offering patrons a taste of the American frontier like none other.

Capturing Your Memories at Paws Up

Once the excitement of your Montana vacation has faded and you have returned to your regular life, having a portfolio of your travel photographs are a good way of bringing back the good memories.  Here are a few ways to improve the quality of your photographs:

Go for the Close Up
The fact is that so many potentially great shots can be ruined simply because so many superfluous elements have been included.  By eliminating any unnecessary content the impact of the shot you are looking for will be greatly increased.

Take Care with Landmarks
If your intention is to show your someone standing with an important landmark then you don’t want them to be literally overshadowed by it. The best idea is to focus on the individual, make sure you have them as you want them and then simply include the landmark and a kind of background storytelling element. This will ensure your photos are both personal and special.

Go for the Angle
Unfortunately, most amateur photographers tend to take a whole batch of pictures from exactly the same angle — that is in the upright position with the subject at eye level. You can make your body of work far better and far more interesting if you mix up the angles a little.

Concentrate on the Light
You may often find that a pretty average shot of a pretty average scene or landmark can turn out to be quite spectacular simply because you have captured an interesting shot with regards to the light. Sometimes in fact a boring scene can be transformed as the light passes through a tree or the yellow light from a street lamp hits the shady street. The important factor here is patience — wait until the light is right.

Top 10 Best Winter Vacation Destinations: America’s Hottest Cold Cities

With a collection of hot springs, local breweries and easy access to skiing and other winter sports, Missoula, MT, has a full assortment of winter fun.

Missoula makes a great base for those interested in piecing together a multiday ski trip. Skiers can choose among six ski areas within a two-and-a-half hour drive of downtown, the closest being Montana Snowbowl in the Lolo National Forest about 25 minutes away. Cross-country skiing trails can be found in three national forest areas – on some local golf courses and at the Mount Haggin Nordic Ski Area. Guests can rent snowmobiles at a few local shops, then explore the vast network of snowmobile trails that wind through Missoula’s surrounding forests. Ice skaters can glide on indoor and outdoor floors at Glacier Ice Rink, while anglers can ice fish at several lakes that freeze over in the Seely Swan Valley.

After experiencing water in all its frozen forms, guests can warm up and relax aching muscles in one of Missoula’s hot springs. While some of the springs are located in natural settings and require a hike to reach, others have been tapped for commercial use and incorporated into resorts that feature mineral pools.

Missoula’s restaurants serve everything from pizza, pub fare and BBQ to more refined recipes. With four breweries concocting original beers plus a variety of pubs, finding a drink is never a problem. In fact, we noticed Missoula’s beer scene last year and named it one of the best unexpected beer cities in the country.

Activities: Downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, ice skating, ice fishing, sleigh rides

Average Annual Snowfall: 46

Winter Temps: 16 to 30

Must Try: A nighttime dip in a hot spring

Paws Up Exhibits at IMEX

Paws Up attended IMEX for the first time this week at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, amidst over 1,000 exhibitors.  IMEX America is America’s worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events, IMEX America benefits from a Strategic Partnership with MPI, Meeting Professionals International; as well as a broad coalition of industry support.  2,400 group buyers/meeting planners attended and were introduced to The Last Best Meeting Place.

Roughing it in style at The Resort at Paws Up

By Matt Trainor

Our teeth chattered as we pulled up to a sandy bank on the Blackfoot River to disembark after a three-hour run down some mild rapids. It was, after all, no more than 40 degrees and overcast, but we quickly stripped off our wetsuits, hopped into warm fleeces, and ran to a roaring fire, a cooler of beer and wine (no ice needed), and a gourmet spread of cheeses and fruits. Now, this, I thought, is “roughing it.” I was at the Resort at Paws Up in Greenough, Montana: a place that was made and revels in the spirit of Lewis and Clark, but also ensures you needn’t live like they did. It’s a place where you can experience the natural wonder of Montana, steep yourself in its history, get out into nature, and know that when you get back you’ll be pampered to the extreme. It didn’t even feel indulgent to do so after a day like the one I just had; it was deserved. And, as my teeth stopped chattering and the wine warmed up my toes, I took a look around and realized how truly unique this place is.

The resort is situated amidst wild Montana terrain; a cozy interior perfect for chilly nights; view of the boundless acres of beautiful land; outdoor dining on a cabin deck.

The taxidermy at baggage claim should have tipped me off when I arrived in Missoula the day before. The fact that it wasn’t some vaguely ironic stuffed deer head on the restaurant wall should have told me something. This was a full woodland diorama, with a mountain lion stalking a buck over by the carousel and a black bear skulking menacingly over by the exit sign. Montana is a place where the pioneer spirit still burns bright. A place where Manifest Destiny was once an actual, executive order more than simply an attitude. Where hunting and fishing and rugged individualism are a part of daily life. But it’s also a place that recognizes what it has, celebrates it, and rolls out a lush and inviting welcome mat to anyone who comes to experience it.

And so it was that a driver from Paws Up picked me up and drove through the cold, rainy weather and delivered me to the resort, just 40 minutes from the airport. “We go through all four seasons in an afternoon here,” my driver told the group as we pulled in. “It was 80 degrees all week last week.” (Quick note: Packing for a trip out here requires layers—lots and lots of layers.) Besides the dramatic weather, the key takeaway from our drive was the relatively unspoiled beauty of Montana’s landscape. It’s the type of rough-hewn, wild country that can usually only be experienced in our largest of national parks, but out here it’s just, well, the backyard. There are pine groves; stunningly large, open plains; wide, rocky rivers; and sheer cliffs. This is the type of country that had Lewis and Clark writing effusive letters back to President Thomas Jefferson in Washington (I resorted to e-mail, but it was still pretty effusive).

Montana Magic
Activities include horseback riding, fly-fishing, and hot air ballooning in Montana’s majestic Blackfoot Valley.

There are horses in paddocks for riding, ATVs for revving, and rafts for rowing, among countless other activities for the modern adventurer.

Consisting of more than 37,000 acres, the beautiful grounds of Paws Up certainly possess every amenity a five-star resort could hold, but it’s the exploration of that acreage that visitors really delight in. There are horses in paddocks for riding, ATVs for revving, and rafts for rowing, among countless other activities for the modern adventurer. Guests can even “camp” in a canvas tent down by the Blackfoot River (room service still on call). This is what Paws Up calls “glamping®” or “glam camping.” And it is, too. Just picture yourself wrapped in Beacon print blankets by a fireplace, waiting for a chef to come down and prepare an en-suite meal, and you’ll get the idea. For those who prefer a bit more modernity, however, you can book yourself and the whole family into one of the perfectly appointed luxury homes spaced throughout the grounds (Low-speed hybrid Kias are assigned to some of the houses to get you from your home or “glampground” to the dining rooms and activity centers).

Regardless of which lodgings and activities you choose, the unabashedly cheerful staff will help customize your ideal exploration experience. The only difficulty is with the sheer grandeur of the whole place; it’s impossible to do everything in one trip. Maybe that’s why Lewis and Clark chose this corner of the world as part of their journey West and their return trip East—they couldn’t get enough of it. Or maybe it was just the quickest route—I can’t be sure. But I do know that if they had had a place as perfect as the Resort at Paws Up to visit, they might never have made it back at all.

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At Paws Up in Montana, tented suites feature private decks, rustic décor and all the peace and quiet you could ever need.

Big Sky Country

Set on a whopping 37,000 acres in the wilds of Montana (where the 1992 Brad Pitt flick A River Runs Through It was shot) is Paws Up, the ultimate luxury tent adventure property in the U.S. There are just 24 specially fashioned tents situated to offer panoramic vistas, ultra privacy and amenities like outdoor hot tubs and 300 thread-count linens. Paws Up even has two restaurants on site—but don’t worry about over-indulging, you can easily work it off on their 120-plus miles of trails.