Pine Butte Guest Ranch

Located deep in the Sawtooth Range along the Rocky Mountain Eastern Front, Pine Butte Guest Ranch is the property of the Nature Conservancy, a national land-preservation organization. Since a few endangered grizzly bears have made the 15,500-acre Pine Butte Swamp Preserve their home, the Conservancy saw fit to buy it to protect the delicate ecosystem. The preserve is the only place left in the Lower 48 states where grizzlies use both the mountain and prairie ranges as they did before settlement drove them to the remnant habitat in the mountains.

Pine Butte was first homesteaded in the 1930s, but it has always been a guest ranch, not a cattle ranch, which accounts in part for the largely undisturbed habitat. (Relentless winter winds have also helped keep development to a minimum.) Today the ranch focuses on education, running numerous workshops on topics ranging from grizzly bears to wildflowers. As well as visits to local dinosaur dig sites, guests can also take part in the usual dude-ranch activities -- riding, hiking, swimming, and the like. Each of the ranch's handsome, rustic log cabins has a river-rock fireplace and is comfortably equipped with handmade furniture.

Facilities:
Outdoor heated pool; activities desk; washers and dryers

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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