After spending some time at Deep Canyon Guest Ranch west of Choteau, Montana I sat down and thought about the visit.
The one thing that kept popping in my mind was that I seemed totally relaxed.
I realize that happens on many vacations because we don’t have to be thinking ahead to schedules, grocery lists, laundry etc.
This was different though.
First of all I became aware of the lack of noise or, what Chuck Blixrud at Deep Canyon refers to as the sound of silence.
One time when I was visiting with Chuck he said “did you hear that?” I mentally chastised myself for missing something and said “what?. Chuck replied – the sound of silence!
That silence is a beautiful thing and I’m reminded of it as I hear construction trucks outside my window working on the street by my office as I write this blog post.
The meals at Deep Canyon Guest Ranch are served family style so you get to know the other guests and you learn to take time and actually visit!
One evening I noticed a group gathered before the evening meal in the comfy lodge while some were out on the deck.
I don’t even want to start thinking about the actual food served at the ranch because I’ll get hungry. Their homemade rolls were delicious!
The pace is a little slower at the ranch and we took some time to sit outside, enjoy the mountain air and have a refreshing beverage.
There is a wreath on the front deck of the main lodge at Deep Canyon that says 
“Come sit on our porch”. That’s a mighty welcoming message and I can close my eyes and imagine myself right back in that comfy chair, looking out at the peaks of the beautiful and rugged Rocky Mountains.
So, what do people really do at a guest ranch? I found out not everyone rides horses (I just figured that’s why you would go to a ranch).
The Teton River runs right by the ranch and fishing is a favorite activity among some guests. You could also hike in just about every direction. Some guests just enjoy the serenity of reading a good book while sitting outside and occasionally looking at that gorgeous scenery. And some enjoy a bit of pampering by the attentive ranch staff.
After the evening meal at the ranch several of us wandered over to the corrals where the horses were. They are turned out each night to graze and roam freely. Several of the horses have bells on them and, in the morning, the wranglers ride up the mountain to find them. The sound of the bells can give the wranglers a
good idea where the horses are.
Getting to Deep Canyon is easy. It’s about 23 miles west of US Hwy 89 that runs right through the town of Choteau. The road to the ranch is paved for most of the way. Just the last few miles are gravel.
I’d like to go back to Deep Canyon Guest Ranch and take my kids and grandkids.
One evening there was a multi-generation family at my dining table and I sensed that everyone was making lifelong memories. My family might not all do the same activities each day but we’d share our guest ranch experiences over home-cooked food at the dining room table each night.
Family memories.They are worth a lot.
Great blog post by a guest! Really gives the feeling of what it is like to visit!