5- Day Montana Adventure Escape

Difficulty

Challenging

Comfort

Basic+

Midscale

Upscale

Weight limit

Taking a pack trip to Northwest Montana evokes a bygone era, where a bedroll and a trusty steed were all one needed to traverse the wilderness. Though times have changed, our multi- days horseback riding tours in Montana provide a glimpse into this enduring tradition.

Our 5- day, 4- night pack trip offers guests the chance to experience a condensed version of a full- fledged pack trip amidst the beauty of northwest Montana. Experience the unparalleled beauty of horseback riding, enjoy increasingly breathtaking scenery and feel the real Montana spirit!

Jessica B. is the provider of this trip

5.0 2 reviews

The provider speaks: English

Jessica has been riding horses for as long as she could remember, and she doesn't plan on stopping any time soon! She grew up riding dressage in the Midwest of the United States. When she graduated college with a B.S. in biological sciences she knew she wanted to move out west. She moved to Montana in 2017 to pursue a career as a backcountry trail riding guide. She fell in love with the Montana way of life and quickly realized she wanted to get further and further in to the back country. She was captivated by the traditional art of mule packing and back country pack trips. After going on her first multi-day trip last summer, she decided she needed to share this experience with the equestrian world. She would love to get you and your family and friends on the trip of a lifetime into the wilderness of northwestern Montana. She is here to answer any of your questions and she hopes to hear from you soon!

View Jessica`s tours

The tour guides you'll probably meet as well

Ben

Born and raised in Montana, Ben brings years of local expertise to our team. He has worked for us for 3 adventure- filled years and we couldn't keep upper camp going without him. His passion for the backcountry is unmatched, making every summer pack trip an informative adventure. Ben's favorite part of the job? Exploring the trails and soaking in the scenery. Ben's trusted companion on the trails is a mule named Spock. You can sometimes spot them riding through The Bob on their way to an alpine lake to catch some fish. When not guiding, Ben enjoys fishing and hunting. If you're lucky enough to have Ben as your guide, ask him for some fishing tips, he's full of them! Ben hopes to one day ride out to The Chinese Wall, (a massive geological feature in The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex). Hopefully he's able to achieve that dream soon! When winter arrives, Ben trades his mule for a snowboard. I can tell you from personal experience, he's as comfortable on a snowboard as he is on a mule! What can't this mountain man do? There are still some open spots on pack trips this summer. Book a tour and you might get lucky and have Ben as your guide!

Connor

Connor started working for us 4 years ago and has wanted to be a hunting and fishing guide ever since he was a little kid. Dreams do come true! His favorite part of working is seeing the excitement on someone’s face when they accomplish something they’ve been dreaming about. Connor loves helping guests catch their first fish with a fly rod, ride a horse for the first time, or go on their first backcountry pack trip. Connor is a great teacher with a lot of patience. On a recent trip, Connor taught how to fly fish on a windy day, which was no easy task. His favorite mule is Cedar. Connor loves Montana because it’s so easy to get away from people when you need a break. Connor hopes to one day guide and pack all throughout the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. At over 1.5 million acres, that is not small task! Outside of work Connor likes to hunt, fish and ride as much as possible. He also spends most of his days working with his dog, Mink, his partner in crime. Connor would love to help you achieve your backcountry riding goals!

Tour highlights

Have a Picnic 6,000 Feet Above Sea Level

The first day ride will take us ride will take us to our upper camp, perched at 6,000 feet, where we will have a delicious picnic

Riding, Hiking or Fishing?

Visit clear alpine lakes, steer a horse through mountain passes, hike even higher- we will try everything

Final Day Trek Down

Finish your journey approaching the glaciers and the rocky crags of the mountain goat

Route details

Begin your adventure on Monday morning as we set out from the base camp.

Our guided horseback ride will ascend to the upper camp, situated at the elevation of 6,000 feet in the picturesque Lion Creek Basin. Enjoy a leisurely picnic lunch beneath the shade of majestic old- growth cedars, a highlight of our full-day ride.

Difficulty

Challenging

Tour provider's comments

In order to join this tour riding experience is not obligatory, however, equestrians better be in good physical shape.

We deal with long endurance style rides ranging from 2 to 6 hours in steep exposed terrain. Not recommended for anyone with a fear of heights.

Horse Breed: Western horse

Tack Type: Western

Accommodation

Comfort

Basic+

Midscale

Upscale

For summer trips there are a variety of options close to our location in the Swan Valley.

There are either hotels in Bigfork and Kalispell we can recommend or lodges and camping in Swan Lake or we have a VRBO with 2 geodesic domes plus a log cabin on 10 beautiful and peaceful wooded acres.

Please kindly contact us for all the details in advance and our reservationists will suggest the most suitable options.

Tickets to group meeting place

Group meeting place

Montana, Flathead County, Kalispell City

Calculate tour price with tickets from your city

Partnered with

Weather during the tour

Weather conditions along the route

You will get a weather forecast for this tour’s route based on

the forecasts for this season
the statistics from previous years’ trips

Tour conditions

Included

food;
5 riding days;
tour guides;
horses;
tack;
tents;
beds;
stoves.

Extras

international flights to and from the US;
tips and personal expenses;
travel insurance (we encourage clients to obtain relevant travel insurance before visiting the US);
fishing license;
gratuities;
travel cost;
lodging pre and post trip.

Group size

up to 8 tourists

Duration

5 days

4 nights

It's important to know

Pack all your items in a duffle bag.

The following is a list of items you should pack:

2 pair jeans;
Long sleeved flannel shirt or middle layer;
2- 3 light shirts;
Base layers especially if you are coming in September;
Sleeping bag (20 deg. or warmer) & pillow if you prefer;
Raingear, pants & coat;
Extra shoes for camp;
Small flashlight & batteries (headlamps are best);
3 pair hiking socks wicking or smartwool;
Good hiking boots;
Cowboy hat or ball cap;
Wool cap or beanie for evenings;
Smooth bottom or cowboy/ riding boots or shoes;
Scarf or buff – for riding while the trails are dusty;
Insect repellent (the more deet the better);
Towel;
Sports bra (for our women guests);
Sun screen at least 15 spf;
Personal toiletries (ibuprofen, baby powder);
Binoculars;
Fanny pack or small back pack;
Long johns to sleep in;
Wool or down vest;
2 water bottles- 32 oz total capacity or better;
Cash for tips;
A great attitude!

Optional items:

External phone charger (Mofi or Goal Zero);
Book for reading at night;
GPS;
Thermos if you would like to bring coffee in your saddle bag;
Seat pad for saddle;
Fishing gear;
Fishing license if you plan on fishing.

!!! Remember when packing that although it is summer, it can get quite cool in the evenings up in the mountains.

!!! We do not provide alcoholic beverages or pop, although it is permissible to bring your own.

Tour reviews

5.0

Based on 2 reviews

K
Karen

2 Aug, 2023

about tour

Thank you so so much!! The 5- day pack trip was more than we ever hoped for, we could have easily stayed longer. Ben and Connor, our guides, are the most professional, hard- working, conscientious, safe and kind people you would want on this kind of trip! We appreciate all they did to give us such a memorable experience. George was the icing on the cake :) Can’t thank him enough for the great food, conversation and attentiveness. The horses and mules are amazing, so well cared for and loved. Earl is exactly the reason we’ll choose this tour- provider again. Their stock have the strength, experience and temperament you want for this type of ride. We felt safe every part of the trip and would absolutely do it again. My husband and I traveled 2600 miles from NH and highly recommend everyone to gain the same experience!

2 Aug, 2023
J
Jessie

11 Jul, 2023

about tour

We are so appreciative of Ben and Connor, our guides. They deserve most of the credit for making this trip the happy, exciting and memorable adventure we’ll always treasure. They’re everything we hoped for, professional, attentive, safety conscious, knowledgeable, incredibly fun, kind and so much more. Many heartfelt thanks go to them, we’ll never forget them. George was an absolute professional and treasure to have in camp! I would come back for his cooking alone! We appreciated all of the things above and beyond he did daily such as warming hot water for a shower, the homemade treats made from scratch he surprised us with, (cookies, brownies, banana bread). His kitchen was immaculate, and he always had a pot of coffee or hot water ready for tea or hot chocolate. I’ll remember all of our ‘Family’ meals with all of them.

11 Jul, 2023