Nine Quarter Circle Ranch

Nine Quarter Circle sits at about 7,000 feet in a small mountain valley near Yellowstone National Park, with the Taylor Fork running through the property and the Gallatin River a few miles away. The Kelsey family is nearing 75 years of ownership, and Kameron and Sally Kelsey run it today. It is the kind of place where grizzly bears, moose and elk are part of the scenery.

The season runs from June through September, with six-night stays in summer and room for about 60 guests. Riding is structured and generous: two-hour rides every day, two all-day rides a week and an overnight pack trip, with trail riding from age 6 and supervised programs for younger children. Fishing on the Taylor Fork, hiking, swimming, softball, a dinner ride and square dancing round out the week, and meals run from made-to-order breakfasts to plated dinners for adults.

Guests stay in Montana-style log cabins with private baths, from one to four bedrooms, most warmed by wood stoves. Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is about 60 miles away, and the ranch offers an airport shuttle and babysitting. Ask the ranch for current rates.