The Lonesome Spur Ranch is a fourth-generation cattle ranch with over 1,000 head of cattle in the Clarks Fork Valley, nestled between the Pryor and Beartooth Mountains.
At dusk on long summer evenings, you can enjoy the view to the west of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains and listen to the howling of coyotes.
During your stay at Lonesome Spur Ranch, you will get to know the real life of a ranching family. The first generation of Swedish immigrants settled in this area about a hundred years ago. You are invited to experience the ranch as a guest, but by the end of your stay you will probably feel more like part of the family. Most of the work here is still done in the traditional way, which often means on horseback. Everyone who wants to spend a riding holiday here receives basic instruction in Western riding and a safety briefing. Everyone rides as much and as fast as they want. Our tip for all riders: sit deep in the saddle and keep the reins long. You can rely on the ranch horses!

Nicolas Evans, author of The Horse Whisperer, also visited the Lonesome Spur Ranch while researching his book. It was the model for Tom Booker's parents' ranch. The book describes it as follows: ‘From its crest you could see the river curving around like a castle moat and in the distance the snowy peaks of the Pryor and Beartooth Mountains.’

Itinerary

Activities:
Every day, you can go on beautiful horse rides in the wonderful countryside surrounding the ranch. Admire the rock paintings left by Native Americans or ride high up into the mountains and enjoy fantastic views of meadows full of wild flowers and herds of wild horses. At the ranch, you can also take part in all kinds of equestrian games, such as team penning and ranch roping.
Once a week in summer, there is a 2-day ride into the mountains with an overnight stay in a camp along the way.
The work on the ranch depends on the season in which you are staying there.
From March to May, calves and foals are born and the young horses are worked with. In May, round-ups and horse drives are often necessary. In the first weeks of June, the cattle are usually rounded up and branded.
From mid-June to the end of September, there is hardly any cattle work to do. You may check fences and herds, but the focus in summer is clearly on long trail rides. In October, the calves are weaned and prepared for sale. Until November, there are also numerous rodeos and animal shows in the region. So there is always something to do!
The horses you will ride and work with are mainly Quarter Horses, some of which are bred on the ranch. There are also a few Pryor Mountain Horses in the herd. There is a horse to suit every ability and requirement, from well-behaved geldings for beginners to spirited roping and cutting horses for advanced riders. We encourage all guests to take part in the riding safety training at the beginning of the week. This also helps you to choose the right horse for you!
Enjoy the view of the Bighorn and Pryor Mountains and 5,000 cattle grazing around you. In the evening, sit around a campfire with delicious food, listen to cowboy music and old family stories. The next morning, wake up to the smell of coffee and fortify yourself with a Western-style breakfast before heading back to the ranch.

Tour itinerary (example for summer)

Day 1: Arrival
Pick-up at the airport or your hotel and short trip to Big R Western Outfitters for anyone who needs boots, etc. You will also stop at Walmart so you can stock up on drinks and snacks for your room. After arriving at the ranch between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. (check-in is at 4:00 p.m. for those travelling to the ranch individually), you will meet to discuss the programme for the week. Dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. at the Local Bar & Grill.

Day 2: First horseback ride and visit to Cody
After breakfast, you will ride in the arena and take a short ride around the ranch to familiarise yourself with the horses. You will be back at the ranch for lunch before heading out for shopping and sightseeing in Cody.
Spend the evening at the famous Cody Nite Rodeo. Departure from the ranch is in the afternoon and you will return after the rodeo at around 11:30 p.m. As an off-ranch activity, you will reserve dinner at the Historic Buffalo Bill Irma Hotel. Dinner and rodeo tickets are at your own expense.

Day 3: Ride to Cottonwood
You will take a day ride to Cottonwood, an area in the high desert, to see Native American rock art and the famous Weatherman Draw.
You will have a picnic in one of the most dramatic landscapes of the American West. After lunch, you will ride back to the ranch, where dinner will be served.

Day 4: Cattle Ride
After breakfast at the camp, you will set off on another ride in the pasture to check on the cattle. On the way back, you will visit the Chief Plenty Coups Museum, a small but interesting museum. In the late afternoon, you will return to the home ranch. Dinner at the ranch.

Day 5: Riding & Pig Races
After breakfast, saddle up and go on a full-day horseback ride. After the ride, enjoy an early dinner and head to the pig races at the Bear Creek Saloon. Have fun betting on the pigs – you might even win! The races start at 7:00 p.m.

Day 6: Departure
On the last day, you will go on a final horseback ride in the morning and take a trip to the Custer battlefield in the afternoon. In the evening, you will be transferred to a hotel in Billings (not included in the 2025 travel package, but can be booked on request).For relaxation, massages are available in the neighbouring village (at an additional cost; on request and for an extra charge, the masseuse can also come to the ranch).
Various excursions are also available, which you can book on site for an additional charge. Interesting destinations include Yellowstone Park, Thermolis Mineral Spa / Cody Nite Rodeo, Custer Battlefield, Wild Horse Range and Devils Lookout, Cooke City. There is a minimum of 4 participants for the excursions.

Accomodation
At the Lonesome Spur Ranch you have a free choice of accommodation. There are two log cabins, furnished with wood and in western style. Or you can opt for accommodation in the guest house. There to stand single, double and triple rooms are available, each with its own roof terrace and also furnished in Western style. If you prefer something more rustic, you can also spend the nights in an Indian tepee or a covered wagon. Regardless of which you choose, each accommodation is equipped with its own bathroom, air conditioning, heating and fridge, WLAN is not available. For your convenience, to stand also provides you with drinks, fruit, small treats and a set of toiletries.
Meals are served in the main building of Ranch . The family and all guests eat together. Don't expect to lose weight during your stay on the Lonesome Spur Ranch - the food is very tasty and plentiful! Freshly baked bread, local beef, home-grown fruit and vegetables and delicious desserts await you!
This is what a day at Ranch could look like from a culinary point of view:
For breakfast, there are buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup, scrambled eggs with bacon, honeydew melon and orange juice. At lunchtime, enjoy a picnic with delicious sandwiches, pasta salad, fruit and sweets along the way. In the evening, you can enjoy grilled steak with a side of potatoes, salad, grilled corn on the cob and a homemade apple pie for dessert. If you have special dietary requirements, e.g. vegetarian, please let us know in advance and we will do everything we can to accommodate your wishes.

 

Saddle & Tack: Western.

Experience: From beginners to advanced riders, we ride in all gaits, depending on the level of the riders.

Horses: Quarter Horses.