Montana Multisport Adventure for the Allen Family

DAY 1: July 18

We meet at your hotel in Billings, Montana in the morning and after a brief orientation head to nearby Pictograph Caves State Park to become amateur archaeologists and contemplate the origins of human habitation in Montana.  After a picnic lunch, we'll shuttle to the Pryor Mountains to meet our horse wranglers and hosts before departing for our backcountry camp.  This afternoon, we'll saddle up the horses and hit the trail. Back at camp, you can relax or go exploring (can you find the nearby waterfall?) as we take care of camp duties or lend a hand and experience the fun of camp life! Tonight we enjoy a tasty dutch oven dinner, s'mores, and campfire tales.  You won't believe how many stars you can see in the dark Montana sky!

DAY 2: July 19

This morning, after a hearty camp breakfast, we set out in search of the Pryor's famous wild horse pack and stop for a visit at the Big Ice Cave. Lunch will be out on the trail. Once back at camp, we'll pack up and head to Red Lodge to check in to our condos that will be our home for the next few nights. After a stop for ice cream cones (why not before dinner while on vacation?), kids will enjoy a poolside pizza party while adults have dinner at our favorite tapas restaurant. After dinner, we'll reconvene to drive over the hill to watch the pig races at the Bearcreek Saloon - to our knowledge, this is the only place in the country where you can do that on a nightly basis!  These adorable and humorous races were created to attract tourists but also to raise money for a local scholarship fund.

DAY 3: July 20

Rise and shine! After breakfast prepared by your guides, we'll drive to the nearby town of Absarokee for a fun and splashy family-friendly raft trip down the Stillwater River (depending on water levels, this may instead take place on the Yellowstone River).  We'll practice our paddling, listening to our raft guides for instructions on what to do and when to do it.  On a hot summer day, stopping at our favorite swimming hole will seem like a good idea, won't it?  Once back on dry land, we'll enjoy a picnic along the river before returning to Red Lodge. In the afternoon, we'll visit the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary to see incredible wildlife like wolves, bears, bison, big cats and raptors up close. The sanctuary provides a lifelong home to non-releasable native Montana wildlife while sharing a message of conservation and education.  For those who want to play, we can enjoy a leisurely game of disc golf afterwards. Should we tell your kids about the world's greatest candy store, which happens to be on main street in Red Lodge?  That is up to you!  Let our guides entertain your kids at the pool while you explore the town - we recommend having a Red Lodge Ale, brewed right here in town.

DAY 4: July 21

Today is a free day.  You'll have access to the Zephyr van if you want to drive anywhere (your driver will need to sign the rental agreement).

DAY 5: July 22

This morning we will have some free time before we head up into the mountains for a spectacular drive along the Beartooth Highway, a National Scenic Byways All-American Road. This 68-mile road winds its way up and through the Beartooth Mountains, through southwest Montana and northwest Wyoming, and leads into Yellowstone National Park at its Northeast Entrance.  We'll not be driving the entire road but we'll stop along the way to stretch our legs, take a sip of some of the freshest water you'll ever drink (right out the side of the mountain!), throw some rocks in a few lakes, and get out for a couple short hikes. We'll eventually wind our way over the border into Wyoming and the small town of Cody, named for Buffalo Bill. We'll learn about the history by visiting Old Trail Town, where Cody himself started the town, to view a slew of old buildings and artifacts. After dinner, we'll head over to the Cody Stampede Rodeo, an authentic small-town Western experience. Some of our troop might get a few winks on the drive back into Red Lodge after such a long day.

DAY 6: July 23

Today is another day to enjoy at your leisure.

DAY 7: July 24

We return you to Billings today in time to get you to the airport for your flights back home. Depending on your departure time, we may offer an early morning hike on the plateau above Red Lodge with mountain views in every direction.