Horseback Riding

The view of Montana from the back of a horse is about as authentically western as it gets. Guest ranches offer the full experience (including lessons), complete with the cinematic sprawling countryside you’re picturing. Book half and full-day trips or multiday pack-trip excursions into the backcountry. We’ve miles of mountains, trails and wide open prairies to explore, and saddling up is a fine way to do it.

For spectators, Memorial Day through Labor Day is rodeo season. Nine different towns throughout Yellowstone Country host cowboys and cowgirls from across the nation, and Montana State University, located in Bozeman, is a perennial contender for national honors at the NCAA level. If you’ve never experienced the roping and riding of a genuine rodeo, it’s about time you did.

For more information on horseback riding trips and outfitters in Montana, or a list of horseback riding trails, see below.