Active/Adventure: Places: Call of the Wild in Montana

Call of the Wild in Montana

Safari-goers are well-accustomed to the luxury tent phenomenon, which brought a bit of glamour to the camping experience—predominantly in places like Africa, India and Australia. The Resort at Paws Up, a dude ranch located on 37,000 acres in Montana, takes this concept west, into Rocky Mountain country. Their Tent City, a collection of six canvas tents set in a secluded meadow, allows travelers to connect with the Great Outdoors without forgoing the amenities of a topnotch hotel. Each tent features a King-sized feather bed (or two twin beds) with 300-count linens, a private deck, electricity, rustic-yet-elegant paintings and furniture and a “Camping Butler” to assist with activities like smore-making. Having sold out Tent City since its opening in 2005, the resort has decided to add six more tents—larger, two-bedroom ones more suitable for families—directly beside the Blackfoot River (of A River Runs Through It fame). The new tents, collectively referred to as River Camp, are set to open this summer. For both encampments, walking to your private bathroom, which is located in a completely separate building called the Bathhouse and complete with rainfall shower, granite countertop, skylights and a key, is the most roughing it you’ll have to do.

But if the restroom walk still sounds like a pain, this Small Luxury Hotel of the World (Montana’s only member), has plenty of other accommodations, all with great views of the surrounding Bob Marshall Wilderness and Mission Mountain Range. Private homes and cabins, which have outdoor hot tubs and decks, sleep anywhere from four to ten people and are designed for couples, families, and friends. Bunkhouse, a converted hayloft, has a communal sleeping area with six beds and is marketed as a great option for buddies’ weekends or bachelorette parties. And, beginning this summer, the resort will open ten new 3,200-square foot wilderness estates, all of which will come with an electric car. (Despite these new accommodations, the property still boasts several hundred acres/guest.) Should you feel guilty about not literally sleeping under the stars in Tent City, year-round activities like horseback riding, hiking and wildlife watching, provide plenty of opportunities to be outdoorsy and rugged, at least during the daytime. Big Kids (perhaps the Bunkhouse tenants) can further partake in seasonal adventures like clay shooting, on a course designed by national champion Andy Duffy, whitewater rafting, ATV riding and snowmobiling. For smaller kids, there’s ice skating, hayrides, sleigh rides and a handful of scheduled events with names like Lewis and Clark Discovery Day and Little Dudes Day.

Wherever you decide to stay though, the prevailing ethos at Paws Up is Western-chic. Rooms contain brown leather couches, cowhide lampshades and timber headboards. The cuisine is a swankier version of traditional Montana fare, as seen in dishes like the butter poached veal breast and the grilled elk loin, served with a pumpernickel-gruyere spaetzle and a mustard demi glace. Spa treatments, which take place in one of 11 tents set in a private meadow behind the Big Timber Homes, employ local ingredients like mountain sage, rosemary and juniper. And whatever criticisms might be thrown about the authenticity of such a camping experience, the vast, untouched wilderness—all glorious 37,000 acres of it—is undeniably real.

For Families Who Want the Best of Both Worlds: Book the first half of your stay in one of the new two-bedroom tents at River Camp before retiring to a Wilderness Estate (which have three or four bedrooms) for the remaining nights. If the newfound privacy becomes a bit overwhelming, you can always return for the more communal campfire meals. Both accommodations are available this summer.

Getting There: The resort provides complimentary pickup at Missoula Airport, which is approximately 25 miles west of Greenough.

The Bottom Line: Resort is open year-round though Tent City is available from late May through early September. Tents from $595; other accommodations vary seasonally; all prices include three meals/day for 2 adults (with dining packages for additional guests available at $110/day). Book early—tent city has pretty much been sold out since 2005.

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