| HIGHLIGHTS |
| Famous For: |
horseback riding, training, lodging, cattle work |
| Capacity: |
38 guests |
| Open: |
Year round |
| Altitude: |
3,700 |
| Location: |
3.5 miles outside the center of Whitefish, Montana |
| Reservations: |
866-828-2900 |
| Rates: |
Adults: Double Occupancy, 6 Day, 5 Night: $905-$1460 weekly; $65 - $250 daily
Children: $450 to $630
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| Minimum Stay: |
one night |
| Deposit: |
50% down |
| Payment: |
Visa, Masterard, American Express, Discover |
| Closest Airports: |
Glacier International Airport - Kalispell ,MT (FCA) - 15 miles |
| Transportation: |
Airport pickup or rental car |
| Travel Agents: |
YES |
| Guest Reviews: |
Read reviews from travelers who have visited this ranch. |
| FEATURED AMENITIES |
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 Archery
Bed-and-Breakfast
Always
Big/Heavy Riders
200-250 lbs.
250-300 lbs.
Birding
Bring Your Own Horse
Camps for Kids
Dude Ranch with Kids Camp
Cattle Drives
1 or Part Day
week
Children's Programs
Baby Sitting
Children's Dining (kids eat together)
Children's Trail Riding
7 yrs old and over
Computer/Email Services
Conference Services
Computer/Email Services
Corporate Groups, Meetings
Large (over 100)
Medium (50-100)
Small (under 50)
Cross-Country Skiing
Cuisine
Ranch/Western
Dog Sledding
Dude/Guest Ranches
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Email Access
Fishing
Fly Fishing
Fish on Your Own
Lake Fishing on Property
Professional Guides & Instruction
Spin Fishing
Instruction Available
Lake Fishing on Property
Golf
Near (within 30 miles)
Helicopter Service
Hiking
On Your Own
Horseback Riding
Horsemanship
Horses
Appaloosa
Draft
Paint
Ponies (for kids)
Quarter
Thoroughbred
Languages Spoken
English
Portuguese
Spanish
Laundry Service
Liquor
Bring Your Own
Massage
Mountain Biking
Naturalist Guides
Non-Riding Rates
Organic Foods
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Private Home Rental
Professional Rodeo Arena
Rafting
Nearby (within 30 miles)
Rock Climbing
Seminars
Horsemanship Seminars - Fall
Horsemanship Seminars - Spring
Horsemanship Seminars - Summer
Horsemanship Seminars - Winter
Short Stays (1-4 days)
Always
Snomobiling
Bring Your Own Sled
Nearby (within 30 miles)
Sporting Clays
Team Building
Tennis
Train Service
Wagon Trips
White-Water Rafting
Winter Months Open (Nov-March)
Cross-Country Skiing
Downhill Skiing
Fly Fishing
Sleigh Rides
Snow Shoeing
Snowmobiling
Women
Weeks
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| LODGING |
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The main lodge is 6,200 square feet of classic elegance and traditional western informality. The lodge has 6 bedrooms, four and a half baths, three common areas, and a game room and can sleep up to 22 family style. The views of the south pasture from one of the three decks are incredible as you observe the activities of the ranch with the horses and the visiting wildlife including bear, moose, elk, deer, turkey, eagles, coyotes, and more.
Designed by the Amish here in Montana, who are incredibly meticulous about their craft. The cabin with two suites, also over looks the South pasture and surrounding forest full of wildlife, our outdoor arena with lots of activities and our herd of horses. These are beautiful suites that together could sleep up to 16 utilizing the common areas!
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| RECREATION |
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Our horseback-riding program is the ranch’s main attraction. The experienced staff, our trained horses, and the assorted terrain our riders traverse, make for an unmatched riding experience. You’ll ride in the mountains, over the foothills, and across the open prairies of Big Sky Country, in addition to enjoying riding events that take place in our indoor and outdoor arenas such as barrel racing, and team penning and sorting with cattle. We offer riding lessons for beginners and, for those more experienced riders, advanced lessons that include roping and cattle work. You'll feel reborn!
Visitors to the Bar W Guest Ranch also can choose from a number of other exciting activities. Glacier National Park, affectionately referred to as the “Crown Jewel of the Continent," is just 23 miles from Whitefish. For boating, fishing, sailing and more, there is Whitefish Lake just 2 miles away or Flathead Lake, the largest body of freshwater west of the Mississippi, is just 30 miles down the road. The Big Mountain ski and summer resort (second largest area in the country) is just 7 miles away, offering a host of winter and summer activities. Whitefish Lake Golf Course, a world-class 36-hole course, is a mile and a half east of the ranch. And we’re just minutes from tremendous whitewater rafting, mountain biking, hot air ballooning and more.
And, then there is the quaint but vibrant town of Whitefish with great shops, fine dining, theatre, and great nightlife.
Summer Ranch Activities:
Horseback Trail Riding
Indoor Arena
Outdoor Arena
Cattle Work
Rider Lessons
Lake Fishing
Hiking
Archery
Skeet
Summer Area Activities:
Glacier National Park
Championship Golf (9 courses)
Aerial Tours
Whitewater Rafting
Lake Fishing
Fly Fishing
Hiking
Kayaking
Horseback Trail Rides
Carriage Rides
Day Spa
Big Mountain Resort
Lake Cruises
Water Sports
Winters in Montana are filled with great days skiing (downhill and cross country), snow shoeing, horseback riding, and more, all capped off with great dining, and fun nights out.
Winter Ranch Activities:
Winter Horseback Riding
Indoor Arena
Rider Lessons
Cross Country Skiing
Snowshoeing
Ice Fishing
Ice Skating
Winter Area Activities:
Big Mountain Ski Resort
X-Country Skiing
Guided Winter Day Trips
Snowmobiling
Ice Fishing
Dog Sledding
Sleigh Rides
Day Spa
Glacier Park Ski Tours
Cross Country Skiing
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| FOR CHILDREN |
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| Children's programs include riding lessons, trail rides, work in the arenas, swimming, fishing, and hiking. |
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| FOOD/LIQUOR |
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For the full week guests we have an incredible format that enables guests to take advantage of the Bar W's exquisite Montana cuisine and also take advantage of the many fine restaurants 3.5 miles away. Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday nights its dinner at the Bar W. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday night it is dinner out "on us" at one of the great restaurants in Whitefish. Of course if you're too tired from riding we'll take care of you at the ranch.
Breakfast is prepared while your having your morning coffee (you can even help out if you want)and served hot and just the way that you like it. For lunch, we pack a lunch for you to bring on the trail.
For our nightly guests, a terrific breakfast is included - you'll walk away fully charged.
We don't serve alcohol but guests are welcome to bring their own. |
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| BUSINESS/MEETINGS |
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| The Bar W offers picture perfect surroundings for the ultimate Montana wedding, meeting or conference. |
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| MEMBERSHIPS |
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| Dude Rancher's Association, Montana Dude Rancher's Association, Flathead Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau, Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, Bigfork Chamber of Commerce, Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce and Glacier Country |
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| REGION/CUSTOMS |
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The Bar W is a year round ranch and is a top notch equestrian facility with the ability to support riders of all capabilities.
The Indoor arena 60 X 100 is heated and can be utilized all year round to improve riding skills, take lessons, take part in scheduled clinics or watch a trainer work with the horses.
The outdoor arena 136 X 232 is a true western style arena where we conduct clinics, give lessons, and do ranch sorting and team penning with cattle. The arena is a great place to improve on your horsemanship and to try out barrel racing and other fun activities.
Horse Training, Lessons, and Clinics - have you ever seen a horse being trained? You will talk about it for years to come. Bar W trainers are some of the most experienced in Montana and the country for that matter. Observe the techniques that are used to train horses for riding and see first hand the amount of effort that goes into it. Feel free to take a lesson and strengthen your abilities or attend any one of the clinics we hold regularly.
In addition to the facilities there are any number of additional places to explore, on and around the ranch property.
The Gazebo is a short relaxing scenic walk along Spencer lake. View the nesting geese, see the ducks, bald eagles, hawks, coyotes, deer and more while you make your way to one of the most special places on the property. Equipped with running water, electricity, a bar and a wood stove, the gazebo overlooks our dock on Spencer Lake. Sit back and relax and let the Montana experience surround you.
The Entertainment Area located just outside the stables has a sunken bar, fireplace, and a sitting area complete with incredibly inviting leather love seats and couches. Look into the display table to admire the way things were with the Bar W collection of artifacts. Or, stroll outside and sit on the deck and watch all the activities of a ranch in action.
Spencer Mountain is part of the 2,900 acres of State lands that surrounds the Bar W and has some of the area’s most beautiful and diverse trails. Take a hike, see all the wildlife and eat lunch on one of the ridges over looking the area. Anyone for mountain biking? Spencer mountain has one of Northwest Montana’s finest mountain biking trail systems. It will challenge the most experienced rider or provide safe and easy trails for those just beginning the sport.
Spencer Lake is a rated fishing lake and in the past was known as a trophy trout lake. Since that time pike, perch and bass have been introduced and it is reported that the pike are upwards to 20 pounds. If fishing isn’t your game then swimming or boating in the lake is still an option and well worth the effort on a hot summer day.
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| HISTORY/HOSTS |
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At the Bar W, we welcome all our guests with a sincere Western hospitality. We want the time you spend with us to be relaxing, comfortable and a great experience – one you’ll never forget.
The Bar W Guest Ranch sits at the base of Spencer Mountain, between two pine-covered ridges on Spencer Lake. In the surrounding countryside, you’ll see mountains and rolling ridges in all directions, helping to make the Bar W an idyllic piece of paradise.
Ted Harvey, your Ranch Manager, has been working in the Dude and Guest Ranch business for over twenty years in Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Ted is hands on when it comes to getting to know our guests and making sure the Bar W meets or exceeds your expectations.
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| ITINERARY |
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For our full week guests, check in is Sunday at 3:00pm with dinner at 6:30. This will give you some time to unpack, relax, explore the ranch, meet the staff and get to know the layout of the property. If you want to ride before dinner just make arrangements ahead of your arrival.
Monday morining is spent matching you up with the right horse and a horsemanship clinic in the arena followed by an afternoon half day ride in the Spencer Mountain territory adjacent to the ranch. Full and half day rides are set for Tuesday through Friday in one of the many areas to ride around the ranch. We like to vary the terrain, so that you experience the full array of what Montana has to offer. You'll ride, mountainous timbered terrain, foothills, and praries.
Riding the mountains is normally more deliberate with attention paid to moving up and down in elevation while keeping an eye open for wildlife and the next spectacular view just ahead. Riding the foothills and the prairies is generally a more aggressive, faster ride moving through more open country with a trot or a lope thrown in.
During the course of the week we will hos clinics for barrel racing, roping, team penning and sorting of cattle to fill in on those half day rides.
Our guests can spend every waking moment in the saddle - or not - it is up to them.
Ask us about our "Adventure in an Adventure Package" where we travel and stay overnight on the Blackfoot Reservation. |
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