The Best Guest Ranches

Triple Creek Ranch (Darby, MT; tel. 406/821-4600): This place is wonderful. It's pretty much the perfect guest ranch, where guests are pampered like European royalty, and the prices reflect it. It has all the traditional dude ranch activities, as well as a pool and a fitness room.

Lone Mountain Ranch (Big Sky, MT; tel. 800/514-4644): Lone Mountain Ranch is a winter and summer resort that has views into the Spanish Peaks Wilderness Area. In winter there are 45 miles of cross-country trails over terrain that will challenge every level of skier. In summer, you can ride, hike, fish, or simply relax and eat in the popular restaurant. There are bird walks with naturalists and forays into Yellowstone.