Z Bar
T Cow Camp
Take a step back in time. Join the Welborns
when they trail cattle to their high mountain summer pasture, or
when they gather and move their cow-calf pairs to new grazing areas
throughout the summer. The Z Bar T cattle range consists of 20,000
acres of beautiful wide open landscape in a remote corner of southwestern
Montana. The range land is ringed by the Lima Peaks towering over
10,000 feet. The scenic beauty will make your jaw drop. As Mona says, “We’ve
lived here all our lives and sometimes it is still hard to keep our
eyes on the trail.”
In Montana, some of the toughest cowboys are
cowgirls! Building on a spirited past, Mona is the fourth generation
Welborn to ranch in Montana. Heritage and love of the ranching way
of life keeps her following in the footsteps of her father. From
June through October Mona rides herd on her family’s cattle.
Join her if you are tough enough!
There is no better way to see Montana than
from the back of a good horse. Escape to the heart of cattle country
where you can ride open ranges, and work cattle, while enjoying the
peace and charm of the cowboy life. This is it—the best of the Old West. Long days in
the saddle designed for experienced riders or intermediate riders who
want to “cowboy up.”
Activities
Cow Camp’s summer begins on June 10th
when the cattle get off the trucks in Dell, Montana (population 35.)
Then the cow-calf pairs are trailed the eight miles to the grazing
area fittingly named Hidden Pasture. A rustic cabin on Muddy Creek
(elevation ~ 7,000 feet) serves as Cow Camp Headquarters. Throughout
the summer, pasture rotation includes gathering and trailing cattle
to grazing areas with names like Sourdough Creek Bottom, Timber Butte,
and Contours Pasture.
• Only one or two riders are invited at
a time, so make your reservations early.
Cow Camp Working Ranch Vacations are typically
scheduled for three consecutive days or extended to five or six days
with a mid-stay excursion designed as a rest day for the horses.
Guests who choose the Extended Stay may elect to stay in camp for
the day off, but everyone usually heads back to town for a real shower
(a 1 ½ hour drive north
to Dillon.)
• We recommend a visit to nearby Bannack, the first territorial
capital and home to Montana’s first gold strike. Bannack is a
history-rich ghost town.
Accommodations
Roll out your sleeping bag. Cow Camp is a log cabin with an outhouse
(no indoor plumbing) and fenced horse pasture. While accommodations
are remote and rustic, the setting and experience is a dream come true
for anyone “cowboy enough” to value an authentic cow camp
adventure and savor delicious camp cooking. |
