interstitialRedirectModalTitle

interstitialRedirectModalMessage

interstitialRedirectModalRedirectCTA
interstitialRedirectModalDismissCTA
Skip to content

Legacy Journeys

Pine Butte Preserve

Take in Montana’s mesmerizing vistas as you spend your days exploring Big Sky Country.

A clear mountain stream flows through a rocky riverbed bordered by evergreen trees, with sunlit cliffs and rugged peaks rising in the background under a blue sky.
Pine Butte Montana The Nature Conservancy’s Pine Butte Guest Ranch is situated on Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front where the mountains meet the prairies. © Robert Granzow

July 12-17, 2027

Where the Rocky Mountains meet the prairie in northwest Montana lies a vast expanse of wilderness that is habitat for moose, mountain lions, lynx and birds ranging from warblers to raptors. The Nature Conservancy’s Pine Butte Preserve serves as your home base for a remarkable experience in a jewel of the Crown of the Continent. Within this showcase of one of North America’s most intact and wild ecosystems, you will find dramatic limestone peaks that tower above native grasslands with striking wildflowers abloom. Through hikes, horseback rides and guided tours, you will have the unique opportunity to connect with this rugged and beautiful region.

Highlights

  • Set out on trails that pass lush wetlands, century-old pines, wildflowers and alpine streams.
  • Accompany TNC Montana staff as they guide you through crucially important habitats that support a variety of critical plants and animals.
  • Keep an eye out for signs of grizzly bears, moose and elk.
  • Head out for a half-day trail ride through the high meadows of the Rocky Mountain foothills.
Wildflowers bloom across a grassy mountain meadow bordered by evergreen forest, with layered rocky peaks and rolling hills stretching into the distance beneath a partly cloudy sky.
Pine Butte Guest Ranch The Nature Conservancy's Pine Butte Guest Ranch situated on Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front, where the mountains meet the prairies © Robert Granzow

Information & Reservations

Interested travelers should submit an online Journeys Interest Form by Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. For questions, you can review the Journeys sign up process information or contact TNC’s Legacy Journeys travel manager, Erin Crowther, directly at LegacyJourneys@tnc.org or (317) 829-1873.

For more information about cancellation terms, review our Frequently Asked Questions.

Pine Butte The Nature Conservancy's Pine Butte Guest Ranch is one of the most biologically rich regions in the entire country. © Robert Granzow
Horses Horses at The Nature Conservancy's Pine Butte Guest Ranch take ranch guests for an afternoon horseback ride in the foothills of the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana. © Simon Williams/The Nature Conservancy
Pine Butte Preserve The preserve's Guthrie Trail features where the foothills meet the mountain. © Nathan Birkeland/TNC
Hiking Guests hike under moody skies across a meadow at the base of Pine Butte on the Pine Butte Swamp Preserve located on the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana. © Simon Williams/TNC
Relaxing meadow A woman relaxes in a meadow at The Nature Conservancy's Pine Butte Guest Ranch. © Robert Granzow

Explore All 2027 Legacy Journeys