If you follow the Blackfoot River east from Missoula, the landscape splits open into wide meadows, tall pines, rugged mountains, and a working cattle ranch that doubles as one of the most luxurious places to stay in the American West. Paws Up Montana is situated on 37,000 acres in Greenough, Montana, with more than 100 miles of trails and 10 miles of river access.
But first, you have to get there. We flew into Missoula, where a driver from the resort was waiting the moment we stepped off the plane. He helped with our luggage and whisked us toward the valley with no rental counter, no confusion, and no delay. This seamless arrival is standard at Paws Up, one of the quiet luxuries that begins the moment you land. It set the tone for the rest of our stay with effortless, thoughtful, and personalized service.
Bison roam the meadows at Paws Up Montana
(Paws Up Montana)
The property reshaped hospitality in 2005 when it made what seemed like an implausible decision to open a luxury guest ranch on a historic cattle farm dating back to the 1800s. Since then, it has evolved into a sanctuary for travelers who value privacy, nature, and the tangible kind of joy that only comes from living in the moment.
A layered history
Paws Up Montana has a long history
(Paws Up Montana)
Long before it became a ranch, this stretch of land along the Blackfoot River was part of the ancestral homelands of the Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d’Oreille peoples, with hunting and travel routes also used by the Blackfeet. For generations, these tribes moved through the valley to fish, gather, and follow game, leaving behind trails that later guided explorers and settlers. When Meriwether Lewis passed through in 1806, he was traveling routes that Indigenous communities had known for centuries.
Accommodations
I was traveling with my boyfriend, and we were lucky enough to experience Paws Up Montana twice. The first time, we stayed at Green O, an adults-only accommodation at Paws Up, tucked into the forest. Its twelve high-design “hauses” feature floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the trees like living art. We stayed in Round Haus, which came with two gas fireplaces, a spa-worthy bathroom, and a private hot tub on the deck.
Green O features adults-only high-design homes
(Paws Up Montana)
Guests at Green O have access to thoughtful touches, such as Lexus SUVs for getting around the property and exclusive dining at Social Haus featuring a new eight-course tasting menu each evening.
Green O remains one of our most treasured travel memories. But when we returned to Paws Up, we opted for the resort’s most iconic offering instead: glamping, the blend of wilderness and luxury that made the property famous. We stayed in Cliffside Camp, with tents perched high above the Blackfoot River.
There are six different glamping camps at the resort, each with six safari-style tents ranging from one-bedroom to three-bedroom tents. Each tent has beds with luxurious linens, ensuite bathrooms with heated floors, and private decks.
The tents at Paws Up Montana put most hotels to shame
(Paw Up Montana)
Our tent featured bespoke chandeliers, custom furniture, hardwood floors, rugs, and luxurious bath products inside the walk-in shower. Anywhere else, such amenities might seem at odds with their wild surroundings, but the rustic furnishings, Western art, and natural materials like wood and stone, impart a sense of belonging. It felt as though everything was exactly where it should be, including us.
Cliffside Camp is perched above the river
(Paws Up Montana)
Each camp has its own butler, who can arrange anything from morning coffee delivered to your door to organizing shuttles for meals and activities. And of course, this is Paws Up, which means even the tents receive daily housekeeping service. The resort’s overall hospitality credentials now include Two MICHELIN Keys, a newer distinction from the MICHELIN Guide recognizing exceptional stays.
Paws Up Montana offers private homes for groups and families
(Paw Up Montana)
The resort also offers multi-bedroom, multibathroom homes for groups and families featuring luxurious rustic decor, inspiring views, hot tubs, and amenities like Lexus SUVs to drive on the property.
Culinary options
Fine dining besides the fire at Pomp
(Stuart Thurkill)
Like Green O, the camps at Paws Up Montana are all-inclusive, with each camp centered around its own dining pavilion where breakfast, dinner, snacks, and drinks are served. Lunch is offered in the resort’s central village, where guests can enjoy open-air barbecue or dine indoors or outdoors at Trough. Pomp, the resort’s fine dining restaurant, is led by a team of James Beard–nominated chefs who showcase Montana ingredients with creativity and care.
Our chuckwagon dinner featured Tomahawk steaks on the grill
(Paws Up Montana)
We began each day with huckleberry pancakes served by the fireplace, lingered over cocktails with hearty lunches of brisket and salads, and ended our evenings with multi-course dinners featuring dishes like salmon and elk. One night, we joined a chuck wagon dinner by the river, where tomahawk steaks sizzled over an open flame and the air filled with music and laughter. Meals this memorable are a gift, though they have a way of spoiling you for ordinary dining forever.
Activities
On our last trip to Paws Up Montana, we filled our days with ATV rides, mountain biking, sporting clays, horseback adventures, and soundbathing at the spa. Each one was unforgettable, but this time we wanted to see a different side of Montana. So we opted for a boat and a sense of history, signing up for fly fishing and a backcountry tour of Garnet Ghost Town.
Fly fishing was the highlight of our trip
(Paws Up Montana)
Fly fishing was a delight. Neither of us had tried it before, but our guide’s easy expertise had us casting like pros in no time as we drifted down the river. We caught several fish, but it was the scenery that stayed with me most, with massive boulders breaking through the current, green trees, and steep bluffs rising on both sides, quiet and timeless against the sky.
Garnet ghost town is remarkably well-preserved
(Tamara Gane)
For the backcountry tour, we rode a Polaris General through rugged hills to one of Montana’s best-preserved ghost towns. Garnet was a thriving mining community in the late 1800s, and today it feels like a time capsule, with more than 30 historic buildings. We wandered through cabins, a hotel, saloons, and shops, each a fascinating reminder of the past.
A reason to return
Despite having been there before, our time went by too fast. We knew we’d miss the beauty of the Blackfoot River and sleeping underneath a sky that feels too big to name. But part of the beauty of a place like Paws Up is knowing it will always be there to welcome you back again.
