The Only Way to Get to This Cozy Candelit Dinner Is by Sleigh Ride
The festive cabin feast in Big Sky, Montana, is straight out of a Christmas song.
Courtesy of Lone Mountain Ranch
There’s getting away from it all for a good meal. Then there’s dining at Lone Mountain Ranch.
The charming, Old West-style accommodation in Big Sky, Montana, is a seclusion dream. The former homestead first found its footing in the area way back in 1915 and became a successful hunting and fishing lodge in the 1950s. Today, guests can still experience all its vintage charms by booking one of its petite log cabins or its six-bedroom lodge. The accommodations aren’t even the best part. No, no. That lies with its Sleigh Ride Dinner, a truly unforgettable dining experience in the middle of the woods.
It all begins when the sun goes down, and the dazzling night sky appears above the mountain community. Guests make their way to the lodge, where they are greeted by a horse-drawn sleigh awaiting them. After boarding (and bundling up with a blanket or two and snuggling with your seatmate), the sleigh takes off through the pines and over a nighttime winter wonderland. Though you feel like you could go on forever with this tranquil experience, after about 30 minutes, you arrive at its remote and historic North Fork Cabin, lit up only by the soft glow of the oil lanterns inside. Don’t worry. There is plenty of heat thanks to its wood-burning stove that’s been in operation since the early 1900s.
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Courtesy of Lone Mountain Ranch
After taking their seat, guests are welcomed with a shot of smooth honey moonshine whiskey to further warm them from the inside out. Then, onto the main event — a three-course meal any cowboy would be proud to eat.
The first course is housemade rye with caraway bread with fresh butter, followed by a second course of prime rib with pepper and horseradish crust, a smoked turkey pot pie, potato leek soup, mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables, all served family-style on the table. And last, but of course not least, is an apple huckleberry cobbler à la mode.
During the dinner, guests get one more special treat: a show by one of two resident cowboy singer-storytellers (either Bruce or Rick) who provide dinner entertainment and make for an Old West experience to remember.
Courtesy of Lone Mountain Ranch
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The dinner is available for guests of the hotel or visitors alike from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily from December through March. Mulled wine, coffee, and hot chocolate are also part of the deal at check-in. The entire experience costs $150 per person. See more about the dining experience and book your seat on a sleigh here.
