Turn off the TV. Put away the smartphones. Forget you ever heard of Justin Bieber, and get away to the Great Outdoors. What better place to spend some real quality time with the family than a luxury ranch in the unspoiled Montana wilderness? We invite you to grab your favorite pair of boots and join us at The Resort at Paws Up®, a 37,000-acres working cattle ranch in western Montana that’s a cross between a traditional, fun-filled family camp and your favorite luxury resort.
Located just 35 miles outside of Missoula Montana, The Resort at Paws Up features dozens of luxury cabins and homes ranging in size from one to four bedrooms, plus some residences have luxury tents just outside for the adventurous and young at heart who want to sleep beneath the starry Montana sky.
We’re taking over the ranch’s cabins and homes for a summer week, exclusively for the enjoyment of our members and their families. You’ll have a dizzying array of activities to choose from, and you'll get to meet fellow members for a week of pure fun. Oh, and you’ll still have Internet connectivity, but if we hadn’t told you, you might have been having too much fun to notice.
Trip Highlights
- Getting away from everything except luxury and comfort in your own ranch home
- Delicious gourmet food at every meal, served with wine and beer
- Included activity options (three per person)
- Participating in a genuine cattle drive
- Private Rodeo event
- Photography tips from an expert Leica photographer on site
THE ITINERARY
The beauty of this active family vacation is that your time is your own—you can do as much or as little as you want. There are literally dozens of activities and pastimes from which to choose each day. Here are a few of our very favorites:
Cattle Drive
How often do you get a chance to ride in a bona fide cattle drive? Saddle up and set out for the wide-open ranch lands to gather the cattle, trail them to the working corrals, sort them, and then trail them back to the home pasture. It’s an exhilarating, unforgettable experience unlike any other.
Fly-fishing
Montana is fly-fishing heaven. It’s the stuff of literature and legend, and you need to experience it to truly get the rush that comes when you land a hefty trout. The Resort at Paws up is smack in the middle of trout country—there are several main fly-fishing rivers onsite, including 10 miles of river front on the Blackfoot River or nearby, including the Bitterroot, Missouri, and Clark Fork. Whether you’re an expert angler or new to fly fishing, you’re in for a real treat.
Geocaching
Set out on a high-tech treasure hunt with the whole family. Armed with a GPS and a sense of adventure, you’ll enter coordinates that will point you toward a series of hidden “caches,” each of which contains a logbook and a special prize (such as coupons redeemable for fun, kid-appropriate goodies). Be sure to leave your own treasure behind for future geocachers. It’s the perfect way to explore the vast, unspoiled property at Paws Up and have a ton of fun in the process.
Sporting clays
Try your hand at target shooting, a fun and challenging activity for adults and kids age 11 and older. The Resort at Paws Up has its own sporting clays installation, featuring a 12-station course that throws a diversity of aerial target presentations. The clays cross, climb, zip in, fly out, or streak high overhead at speeds and angles that simulate the flight patterns of game birds.
Rafting
The resort has a full variety of river trips for all ages and levels of adventure. The Clearwater canoe trail is a leisurely, quiet paddle that is great for all ages. More adventurous souls can float down Class I and II rapids on the Blackfoot River on a raft or in an inflatable kayak. And thrill junkies can chase the adrenaline rush of Class III+ whitewater on the Alberton River Gorge.
Other activities include:
- Archery
- ATV tours
- Equestrian lessons
- Horseback riding (guided trail rides)
- Hot-air ballooning
- Kids' wilderness workshops
- Boating and water sports (skiing, wakeboarding, paddle boating, and more)
- Carriage rides
- Rappelling
- Hiking
- Horseshoes
- Volleyball
- Badminton
- Spa and fitness center
- Yoga classes
- Disc Golf
- Croquet
- Bocce ball
Dining
The many different culinary venues at the resort take full advantage of Montana’s abundance of fresh, locally sourced ingredients. On the menu, you may see huckleberries from a nearby hillside; fresh-caught Rainbow Trout; local herbs; or beef from cattle sustainably raised nearby. Of course, no group event is complete without great food and wine, and the resort offers a dining program that rivals most big-city five-star establishments. You’ll get three delicious gourmet meals each day. Depending on your mood (and your brood), you have your pick of rustic ranch cuisine, casual home-cooked favorites, or an evening of authentic outdoor chuck wagon cooking. Or, if you’re too tuckered out after a long day, have a private chef deliver a fully prepared meal, or come to your kitchen and cook it right there.
Fun Fact: Ranching in Montana
Ranching has long been a staple of Montana’s economy. As one of the area's first industries, cattlemen appeared in the valleys of Western Montana in the 1860s to answer the demand for beef in mining towns. These early Montana ranchers relied on the practice of what is known as "open range," where they let their cattle graze large plots of unsettled lands, continually moving their herds to fresher pastures. However, open-range ranching became less common in the first half of the 20th Century, as fenced-in, private land became more common and the United States enacted regulations to enforce sustainable grazing practices on public lands.
Today, many historic Montana ranching communities are still operated by the descendants of the original ranchers who settled these plots. While ranchers pay tribute to the classic ranching culture and way of life, these family ranches are now cutting-edge and tech savvy, fairly sophisticated business operations compared to the open-range ranches of yore. Ranches like Paws Up keep the traditions alive while still maintaining a modern working ranch.
What Members Have To Say
“Our Exclusive Journeys ranch experience was probably the best family vacation I have ever had with my kids.”
- Christian A.
Family Western Ranch 2010
ACCOMMODATIONS & DETAILS
This unforgettable family vacation puts the glory of Montana’s great outdoors right on the doorstep of remarkably luxurious private residences—one of which can be yours for the week.
Accommodations
At the ranch, you’ll have your choice of four types of Exclusive Resorts-quality homes, each with full amenities—kitchens, air—conditioning, laundry, hot tubs, and satellite TV. Each home comes with either a compact car or golf cart to get around the resort. Gourmet meals and twice-daily housekeeping are all included, so you don’t have to do anything more than relax and have fun.
Wilderness Estates
These are the resort’s largest homes, each accommodating up to eight guests and situated on a four-acre lot and featuring three bedrooms, three full baths, one half bath, and a compact car to get around the ranch.
Big Timber Homes
The resort’s Big Timber homes are for families who don’t need quite as much room, featuring one, two or three bedrooms, a loft, and a compact car to get around. Depending on which specific Big Timber home you select, you’ll be able to accommodate four, six, or eight guests.
Meadow Homes
Meadow Homes are charming, smaller homes with two bedrooms and two bathrooms and a golf cart for transportation around the resort, for those who want comfort but don’t need as many bells and whistles. Each can accommodate up to four guests.
Morris Ranch House
Surrounded by cottonwood trees and situated near the banks of Elk Creek, Morris Ranch House is a historic four-bedroom home that offers privacy and seclusion, while still being just a short car ride away from the main resort. (A car is included.) The home has been remodeled inside and beautifully decorated, with all of the modern conveniences you and the family could want.
Trip Details
Trip Length: 7 nights, 8 days
2015 Dates of Travel: June 21 – 28
Ideal for: Active families with children age 4 or older. This western ranch experience is also ideal for extended family groups gathering for a reunion, fly-fishing aficionados, travelers interested in the history of the American West, family groups who enjoy a little friendly competition, and families interested in spending quality time with other Exclusive Resorts members.
Travel with: Up to 8 people, depending on the specific residence type reserved.
Getting there: Fly into and out of Missoula, Montana (MSO).
Why You’ll Love It: A week in the mountains with family is a classic American vacation. In the most picturesque part of western Montana, you’ll get the flavor of the West with its big skies, rustic charm, and fun-loving, adventurous atmosphere, without actually having to “rough it.” All of the creature comforts of a luxury resort are right there, including fine dining, spa treatments, upscale homes, and a host of guided activities for kids and adults. You’ll get to enjoy all of the things you love about luxury vacationing and try your hand at adventures and activities, you simply can’t do anywhere else.
Reservation Requirements:
1 Advanced Reservation
7 Plan Days (per residence)
Daily Fees: Daily Fees for this experience vary based on the specific residence type selected. Available residence types and corresponding Daily Fees are as follows:
| Residence Types | Description | Max. | Square ft. | Daily Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meadow Homes | 2 bd, 2 ba | 4 | 1,100 | $1,250 |
| Big Timber Home Type A* | 1 bd, 1 ba + lft | 4 | 1,440 | $1,695 |
| Big Timber Home Type B* | 2 bd, 2 ba | 6 | 1,930 | $2,895 |
| Big Timber Home Type C* | 3 bd, 2 ba | 8 | 2,430 | $3,995 |
| Morris Ranch House* | 4 bd, 3 ba (full), 2 half ba | 8 | 2,500 | $3,995 |
| Wilderness Estate* | 3 bd, 3.5 ba | 8 | 3,230 | $4,295 |
*For a limited number of homes in each of these residence categories, you can elect to have a private, 500-square-foot luxury tent set up just outside for an additional $55 per residence per night. If you choose to do this, your luxury tent will be available throughout your stay, so you can sample “glamorous camping” (think lighting, comfortable beds, seating, toys and games) for one night, every night or even just naptime.
Notable Inclusions
- All accommodations
- All meals per the itinerary
- Private transfers per family from Missoula airport upon arrival & departure
- All taxes and all gratuities for staff, drivers, guides
- Select activities (some activities, like spa treatments, will incur additional fees)
- Local beer and wine with included lunches and dinners
For the complete list of inclusions, visit the Montana page on ER Compass.
Information current as of 02.18.2014. Exclusive Journeys experiences subject to change or cancellation. Participation in Exclusive Journeys experiences subject to Club Membership Agreement and Exclusive Journeys Terms and Conditions. Reservations for specific dates and Exclusive Journeys experiences subject to availability. Some excursions, activities, services, food and beverages may require additional fees, may have limited availability, and are subject to additional terms and conditions. For ship-based programs, participants may be subject to a fuel surcharge not to exceed $10 per person per day. See www.exclusiveresorts.com for information about the Club, including list of Exclusive Journeys experiences, Club destinations and residences and other information. Exclusive Resorts and the Exclusive Resorts flower logo are registered trademarks of Exclusive Resorts, LLC. ©2014, Exclusive Resorts, LLC . All rights reserved.