The Bitterroot cattle graze in the adjacent Shoshone National Forest from July to October. Guests at the ranch can help with the challenging work of herding the cows into the mountains the first week of July and rounding them up again the last week of September, enjoying a true cattle drive experience.
We also offer periodic cattle range rider weeks for people interested in day to day life on a working cattle ranch. Our cattle are spread out over 50 square miles of high mountains, forests, clearings and river valleys so that riders are often off the beaten path in country where encounters with wild game like elk, deer, moose, wolves and grizzly bear are possible.
During both weeks of our cattle drives, guests will return to their Bitterroot Ranch log cabins each night and have dinner and breakfast in the main lodge. Most days lunches will be on the trail during the roundup. Riders on our cattle drives participate in the routine of a working cowboy gathering scattered herds, driving them to and from summer pasture, and sorting animals.
Cattle work is varied and unpredictable and requires long hours in the saddle. Please note that weather, unexpected movements of cattle or Forest Service instruction could change our plans.
It was a completely new experience using a horse to do a job of work on the cattle drive, and it gave me a tiny look at what the old time cowboys were up against. The Wyoming mountains and wide open spaces, the homey atmosphere at the ranch and the gourmet food and excellent wines you gave us all contributed to an unforgettable experience. Mary McGerald, California
