The American frontier has long captured the imagination of travelers with visions of dude ranches, cowboy denim, heroic horsemanship, and mountain folklore. The code of the West has pervaded popular culture, from Toy Story’s Woody to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter to Brokeback Mountain. It’s made an indelible mark on fashion, from Ralph Lauren and Isabel Marant to the off-duty equestrian style of Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner.
Before Yellowstone and 1923 captivated viewers, it was the old westerns and prospect of gold that lured starry-eyed opportunists to the American West. And who can blame them? The Wild West beckons travelers seeking remoteness, solitude, and adventure within our continental borders.
In recent years, ranch hotels have elevated their luxury offerings, becoming America’s homegrown answer to safaris or tropical resorts. Dude ranches have graduated beyond horsemanship and log cabins (though those still remain markers of the category). Today, it’s all about gourmet food and bev, wellness programs, lavish supper clubs, curated excursions, and sustainable land conservation. Below, we’ve put together a list of America’s most glamorous ranch hotels—perfect for your next summer vacation. Yippee ki-yay!
Picture the antithesis of a rugged dude ranch. What if Montana wasn’t bison hides and stagecoaches, but instead polished design and sultry sex appeal? That’s the Green O’s take on the West. Green O is an adults-only playground within Paws Up Montana resort, providing a more contemporary point-of-view on a ranch.
Dining at the Green O is a culinary celebration. Meals are served in the Social Haus, a convivial boîte channeling Philip Johnson’s Glass House. Feasts at the Social Haus feel like the perfect first date—everything falls into place. The finest chop, thinnest julienne, and flaky sea salt define each bite. The superb seven-course tasting menu changes nightly, featuring dishes like sake-poached sea bass or gin and tarragon tapioca. Not feeling a haute cuisine tasting menu? Simply ask the kitchen, and they will satisfy guests with a private chef-level of indulgence.
Ranch activities here defy expectations. A guided nature hike turns into a medicinal botany tutorial, a mining ghost town tour by UTV feels more like a speed race, and cattle drives operate like a game of cow croquet. Fly fishing on the Blackfoot River is a must; there’s nothing more majestic than floating downstream while bald eagles and osprey soar above. These quintessential experiences are as “Montana” as it gets, led by expert ranch hands, wranglers, anglers, and wellness gurus.
After a day of outdoor pursuits, returning to the Green O’s wooded enclave is a delight. Each accommodation is a contemporary glass masterpiece lit up in the forest, resembling jarred fireflies. With panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, these structures offer uninterrupted views of the wild. Houses come with a hot tub, stocked pantry, custom artwork, and a personal Lexus.
Nestled deep in the Bitterroot Valley, Triple Creek Ranch is about as authentically Montana as it gets (this region is known for Yellowstone’s filming and Lewis and Clark’s expeditions).
The journey to Triple Creek starts with an email months before arrival. An affable concierge requests preferences: What amenities should be stocked in the cabin? Which activities appeal most? How many spa treatments will it take to feel pampered?
Winters offer unplugged luxury travel at its finest. Nearby is Lost Trail Powder Mountain, a ski resort offering reliably fresh pow and victorious slaloms along the continental divide. There’s also snowshoeing, dog sledding, hot-tub lounging, sapphire panning, and spa treatments. The soothing facials and massages are what guests need to unplug after an active day.
For the most luxurious of accommodations, look no further than Triple Creek’s cabins. The bedding? Higher thread than you can count. The shower? Steamier than a scene from Bridgerton. The artwork? It’s all original, and comes from owner Craig Barrett’s private collection. The tap water? It’s Montana’s finest. These Lincoln Log fantasies are the ultimate sequestered hideaways, where the only visitors are fallen pinecones and the local forest pets—elk.
Triple Creek Ranch is a Relais & Châteaux hotel, so it always delivers a feast. The cuisine is a well-balanced melange of classic French cuisine and gourmet mountain fare, so expect stunning presentation, decadent tasting menus, and plenty of fine wines. Even the humble PB&J is dressed up with fresh Montana huckleberry jam and thick-cut bacon.
A night out at the ranch—be it at the owner’s private home or the ranch’s cocktail lounge—is an excuse to dress up. Be sure to stop by Double H Hat Company in Darby for custom cowboy hats, the ultimate western accessory.
If White Lotus were to film a ranch season, it would most certainly be at Brush Creek Ranch.
This luxury ranch embodies the enduring allure of the American West. The topography is a layered trifle of Western landscapes: grassy plains, trees upon brush-speckled hills, snowy peaks, blue skies, and whipped clouds.
Owner Bruce White built the ranch as a passion project to preserve and rewild the land. In doing so, he also created a luxury hotel with adventurous programming, including equestrian sports, a shooting range, Orvis-endorsed fishing program, a private ski mountain, and more.
A visit to Brush Creek feels more like a fancy friend’s ranch estate than a traditional hotel. All of the essentials—a cavernous gym, snack-stocked pantry, and state-of-the-art outdoors gear—are included in a stay. Interiors channel a Ralph Lauren showroom: plenty of rich leathers, stained woods, fur-upholstered furniture, and antlers. Guests can stay in the main lodge, the wellness-focused Magee Homestead, sporting-focused French Creek, or the new Platte Canyon Glamping tents.
The crown jewel is The Farm, a sophisticated culinary compound with access to premium provisions. The Farm includes greenhouses, a goat barn, dairy creamery, spirits distillery, labyrinthian wine cellar (featuring one of the largest wine collections in the world), bakery, and fine dining restaurant Cheyenne Club. Guests can participate in planting seminars, goat yoga, mozzarella-making workshops, distillery tours, croissant-baking classes, and wine tastings. This is a true farm-to-table operation.
Who would think that some of the most sublime food in travels could be found in rural Wyoming? Whether it’s the ranch-raised wagyu beef, elk stew, corn hush puppies, or greenhouse crudités, the restaurants at Brush Creek Ranch stand up against any top restaurant along America’s coasts. Paired with exceptional hospitality and thrilling activities, Brush Creek Ranch is redefining ranch opulence.
A stone’s throw away from Big Sky’s slopes and Yellowstone National Park, through an alpine canyon surrounded by lodgepole pines and roaming elk, sits Lone Mountain Ranch. The ranch exudes exclusivity without pretentiousness. The tone is noticeably more fashionable than other ranches, so a wardrobe of patterned Pendleton coats, cowboy boots, turquoise belt buckles, and sumptuous furs make guests look the part.
Lone Mountain Ranch truly sparkles in its vibey dining scene. The restaurant Horn & Cantle gives the people what they want after a long day of Nordic skiing or horseback riding: huckleberry-glazed elk chops, bison short rib grilled cheese, and wild game bolognese—all under the watchful gaze of the taxidermy wildlife.
The ranch’s nightlife is in a league of its own. This isn’t your average honky-tonk or Montana waltz. In winter, their Sleigh Ride Dinner is a coveted reservation: a romantic Belgian Draught horse-drawn ride through the moonlit woods, warmed by mulled wine, and culminating in an intimate lantern-lit cabin dinner where cast iron skillets and cowboy crooning await. Come summer, hundreds descend upon the ranch for the weekly rodeo, drawing bull riders from across the Rockies to compete.
Lone Mountain Ranch’s private members club provides access to the chic supper club Auric Room 1915 and new cigar cabin Trapper’s Den. With its speakeasy entrance, liquor lockers, and energetic playlist, the former reads more “Tom Ford after party” than Montana ranch. After members slick back a few cocktails shaken by velvet-clad bartenders (ensembles courtesy of Yellowstone’s costume designer), they mosey over to the luxe Trapper’s Den. Decorated with animal pelts and mountain antiques, the Trapper’s Den serves premium cigars and whiskeys—all that’s missing are the fur trappers themselves.
Imagine a national park all to yourself—no lines, no crowds, nobody in the background of photos. That’s Vermejo, a vast luxury ranch in the Southern Rockies.
Spanning 550,000 acres, Vermejo feels like the 51st state. It’s located in a desolate part of cowboy country, where its inaccessibility drives exclusivity. The journey from property entrance to hotel lasts an hour, driving through awe-inspiring biomes of alpine, sub alpine, and prairie. Best of all, you won’t see another soul on the drive. Nature is yours to savor.
Upon arrival, travelers are welcomed by an elegant estate in an expansive plateau. The lacquered wood lodge dials up the “fish and game” aesthetic, adorned with antler chandeliers and fish trophies. Casa Grande, built in the early 1900s, once played members club by figures like Herbert Hoover and Cecil B. DeMille. Guests either stay in Casa Grande, the adjacent Turner House, or one of several private cottages, all decorated with Victorian gilded and art nouveau antiques (such as former resident Jane Fonda’s Tiffany lamp).
For a more serious hunter or angler, Vermejo offers the holy grail of outdoor sports. An itinerary may include rifle shooting with an expert marksman, trout fishing on pristine lakes and creeks, or simply enjoying the silent sounds of wilderness. For those less inclined to shoot or fish, the property tours to learn more about bison, land conservation, or homesteader history are equally exhilarating. A wildlife safari to view bison herds, pronghorn antelope, and mountain lions certainly rivals Africa’s big-game safaris.
Meals here are a carnivore’s dream. Think exquisitely prepared elk tartare, red deer loin, lamb chops, bison tenderloin, and quail drumsticks. And don’t forget dessert, where decadent s’mores on homemade marshmallows are baked over an open fire.
