Trail Riding · Montana
Trail Riding in Montana
23 operators across Montana.
Montana riding
Montana is horse country in the plainest sense: the animal still earns its keep here. Guest ranches fill the valleys, Paradise Valley near Livingston among them, working cattle outfits run stock across the eastern prairie, and trail stables ride out into the Flathead and Gallatin national forests. From the Rocky Mountain front to the high plains, the terrain changes but the arrangement doesn't: horses are how you cover this ground, and riders of any level can find an operation built around that fact.
The western half of the state belongs to the mountains (the Missions, the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness), and to the pack-trip outfitters and guest ranches that work them. Riders follow historic trails into country no road reaches, learning backcountry horsemanship the way it's still practiced. Whitefish, Big Sky, and Darby anchor these operations, each a short haul from forests and alpine meadows. Riders after structured instruction or show-ring miles will find riding academies and boarding barns around Missoula and Bozeman, covering both English and Western disciplines.
About trail riding
Guided and self-guided trail rides: scenic hour rides, half-day loops, and beach or backcountry routes for every level.
Quick facts
- Best season
- June through October
Operators
Trail Riding operators
Loads the full map of every listing on this page. We leave it off by default so the page opens fast on mobile data.
Resources
More to explore in Trail Riding
Hand-picked clips from the community, sorted by what you do.
Videos worth watching
Hand-picked clips, sorted by what you do.
HORSE TRAIL RIDING TIPS. Horse trail riding for beginners!
A Balanced Horse
Trail Riding for Beginners
HorseClass
HORSEBACK TRAIL RIDING TIPS FOR SAFETY 🐴
JSHorsemanship
Dos & Don'ts of Trail Riding
Equestrian Life
HOW TO RIDE A HORSE WESTERN (BEGINNERS TRAIL RIDING GUIDE)
Ranches at Belt Creek
5 Tips To Keep You Safe Riding A Horse
Basic Horse Training
Free tools
Your free outdoor toolkit
Everything Map
Listings, trails, spots, clubs and public land on a single full-screen map. Switch layers on and off, then tap any point for the details.
Open Everything MapTrail Explorer
Browse a community map of named trails with distance, difficulty, and where each one starts.
Open Trail ExplorerRoute Planner
Drop stops on a map and watch distance and drive time add up. Export a GPX or share the link.
Open Route PlannerRiding Clubs
Browse local clubs with meeting info and how to join, or start your own for free.
Open Riding ClubsPhoto ID
Point your camera at whatever you found and get a structured identification. No signup.
Open Photo IDGear Checklists
Printable, save-as-you-go packing lists. Tick items off and pull them up on your phone.
Open Gear Checklists
