320 Guest Ranch
Everything you need to know about visiting Gallatin Gateway and exploring Big Sky Montana
Flying into Bozeman
Montana is one of the top 3 most rural states in the country but easily one of the most spectacularly beautiful ones. Everything you see just makes you appreciate the magnificence of our world and wonder how something so awe inspiring can even exist. With that being said, to truly get the experience of it all, you have to get to the back country.
This meant flying into Bozeman Airport (which is not actually in Bozeman, but in Belgrade) and arranging a driver to pick us up and drive us to the ranch where we would be staying.
I’m glad we had a driver, as I felt safer being with a driver who was familiar with the mountain roads we would be taking. Most of the roads are single lane highways with directional traffic separated only by thin double yellow lines. Our driver was telling us insurance in Montana is extremely expensive due to having a higher number of fatal accidents. As if perfectly timed, we past a truck on its side that had clearly been in a head on collision and was crumpled like a tin can. The downside of renting a vehicle though means you need to be sure to stop by Costco and stalk up on snacks and essentials before heading into the mountain, as there won’t be anything else for miles. Our driver was kind enough to allow us to do this as well. The return trip was arranged with the same company and we had the pleasure of being driven by our first driver’s wife. (Thank you to Ryan’s aunt for arranging the driver)
320 Guest Ranch
For our trip we stayed at 320 guest ranch (see website). Our cabin and flights were booked as a Christmas gift from Ryan’s mother last year. Man what a gift it truly ended up becoming. I don’t think Ryan and I have felt that relaxed in… who knows when. The 5 days we spent here felt like being transported to another dimension where time didn’t exist and our problems were far far away.
The ranch is about halfway between Big Sky (a ski resort town) and Yellowstone National Park. It’s a pretty remote ranch deep in the Montana mountain forests. It’s surrounded by rolling hills topped with trees that make the air smell sweet enough to taste. The sprawling complex is dotted with rustic, yet fully equipped, cabins. Some cabins back up against the trails while others sit right on the river’s edge. Our cabin was right in front of the horse pens. I’m sitting in my bed watching them graze as I write this post. The ranch offers several activities such as horseback riding and soap making classes. I recommend bringing your own snacks. While the ranch does offer a DELICIOUS breakfast spread each day, outside of that they only have a cafe open until 2 and one restaurant/saloon open from 5-10. The drinks aren’t too bad but the food is VERY expensive.
The Scenery
While Montana has always been on my dream list of places to go, we ended up specifically here by a chance of Fate. Ryan’s cousin’s wedding was to be held here and from the moment we got here it was clear why they chose it as their wedding venue.
It’s peaceful and serene, yet so alive. What better kind of marriage to have
The Wedding
The wedding was absolutely magical. It wasn’t until the wedding that I discovered our their story mirrors Ryan’s and my own.
They met online (Ryan and I met online) in 2020 (also in 2020) during the pandemic. She delayed their date by one day (I delayed my date with ryan by a day as well). I call ryan, Cocobean. He calls her cocobean. Their story unraveled in Phoenix at the exact time ours was in Albuquerque. Ryan and his cousin even have the same birthday, if it can be any stranger 😅
Despite any coincidences, their story is uniquely theirs and so incredibly beautiful. I love the story of why they chose to get married in Montana and it made it all the more special to be invited to share in this with them.
Exploring Big Sky
One of the activities offered at the Ranch is a guided tour by horseback. We had initially intended to partake in this but didn’t realize we needed to sign up in advance. Oh well 🤷🏻♀️ we ended up finding a different sort of adventure in Big Sky.
Big Sky is a mountain resort town similar in feel to aspen or vail. We hitched a ride into town with Ryan’s Aunt and Uncle. They are the sweetest couple, the kind who walk through the world as a team, a couple I aspire to one day be like. It’s not a large shopping strip but you could definitely kill a few hours here. It’s a similar set up to Larimer’s Square in Denver Colorado with stringed lights cross crossing the road overhead. While we were here, we discovered Cowboy Coffee and got the best iced coffee we ever had. We also picked up matching souvenir hats, and a Christmas ornament at a gift shop that was hand etched by a local artist from recycled Christmas trees.
What I wore/packed
If you’re traveling to Montana you NEED to watch the weather and pack accordingly. the weather in Montana can change on a dime and you could have both snow and a sunny day with a high of 80 in a single week.
We had rain the whole time and temps ranging from 46-62 degrees. Solid Fall temps and a drastic difference from the triple digit heat we were escaping in Albuquerque. I recommend packing layers, a good waterproof hiking boot/shoe, and a rain coat. If you end up needing to buy one here, you’ll spend over $200 (if you end up in this situation and you can’t afford Patagonia go to Costco in Bozeman).
Graphite and Jade 