Time to cowboy up. From spectacular views of the legendary Blackfoot River to Jones’ Pond and the endless conifer forests, our Montana horseback riding adventures offer a wide-eyed gulp of the surrounding wilderness. We’ll send you off with your wrangler along the edge of a pristine meadow, where you’ll explore a trail forested with ancient Ponderosas as you rise to a ridge overlooking scenic Paws Up Ranch. Whether you’re an experienced rider or you’ve never been horseback riding before, you’ll lay eyes on sight after historical and breathtaking sight during your unforgettable riding excursion. Private trail rides, customized lessons for kids in Montana’s largest private equestrian center—the Saddle Club at Paws Up—and private advanced rides are all available. Or try your hand running and sorting cattle with an authentic cattle drive.

If you want to advance your horsemanship skills to the next level or if you have never been exposed to a horse before, we have the perfect one-hour program for you, whether your interest is in English or Western riding. We believe that the first step in horsemanship is to understand how a horse moves and thinks, and how you can adjust to move and think with it for mutual benefit. All of our instruction for adults is done on the trail in order to bring both horse and rider as close to our four-legged friends’ natural and comfortable state. With more than 100 miles of trails to choose from, your wrangler will make sure that you’re taking in all that Montana has to offer while growing yourself and your horse. From walking to trotting to maneuvering in tight patterns and loping, you’ll feel like a vaquero before you know it!

Seasoned riders with a nose for adventure thirst for trails no one else has ridden. Which is why The Resort at Paws Up^® created a ride that challenges horse and rider alike—the all-day Frontiersman Ride. Led by our equestrian in chief, Jackie Keckses, this exhilarating ride takes you deep into Montana’s Big Sky Country. The scent of sage and Ponderosa pine beckon you well off the horseshoe-beaten path, where game trails open up to panoramic views that have changed little in hundreds of years. Make no mistake—this ride is customized for our competent riders. There are plenty of opportunities to lope and canter, climb rocky trails, cross crystal-clear creeks and even drop down over Moonlight Hill to greet a herd of neighborly elk. By the time you dismount, you’ll know why this ride stands head and powerful shoulders above the rest.