Laughing Water Ranch

Laughing Water Ranch encompasses 220 beautiful acres of mountain timber and rolling pasture. Nestled in a beautiful mountain valley just west of Glacier National Park and bordered on three sides by the Kootenai National Forest, the ranch has a wonderful trail system for scenic and challenging horseback rides. As you visit nearby lakes and take lunch next to a babbling brook or scenic vista, you probably won't see any other riders, since Laughing Water is the only dude ranch in the area.

The Land... Sitting at an elevation of 3,200 feet at the lodge and 7,500 feet at the peaks, you are likely to see deer, elk, and maybe bear on your outdoor adventures. At Laughing Water Ranch you will become familiar with the reaches of Laughing Water Creek, the majestic heights of Mount Marston, Mount Fir, and Baldy Mountain as well as the remote beauty and stillness of Martin Lake.

The Lodging... The ranch has a capacity of 38 with a total of eighteen rooms. In the lodge you will find four two-room suites with full tiled bathrooms. The cabins are two-room suites with two private baths and covered porches. Each suite in the lodge and the cabins features queen and twin beds. A large hot tub is located on an exterior deck of the lodge for everyone to enjoy.

Western Gourmet... The personal touch extends to the cuisine. Delight in delicious prime rib, eggs Benedict, steaks, scrumptious barbecue ribs and chicken, and fresh trout. All-you-can-eat meals are served family style in the Chuckwagon Room or as cookouts at the Two Streams BBQ area on the banks of the Laughing Water. Savory homemade breads and cakes, crisp salads, and tasty side dishes round out the meals. Don't forget to save room for the delectable Huckleberry Pie!

Activities... Laughing Water Ranch offers a wide variety of adventurous activities to keep everyone entertained and having fun. Of course our main activity is always horseback riding along with fishing, hiking, campfires, hayrides, bbq's, square dancing, games, hot tub, billiards, etc. Special activities during selected weeks may include whitewater rafting, cattle drives, sorting clinic, pack trips, over night trail rides, rodeos and more.

Riding... Laughing Water Ranch offers a choice of a long or short ride each day except Sunday and rafting day. Personalized riding instruction is given on Monday mornings and after lunch if needed. More personalized instruction is available upon request. The trails through aromatic pine forests and over exhilarating mountain passes encompass all levels of riding ability.

The horses... Laughing Water has a herd of approximately 50 horses. Mainly quarter horses with a few Appaloosas, Arabians, and Draft mixes. Most of the herd are geldings because of their steady temperament. The wranglers will look at your experience level and personal information that you provide on your pre-arrival form and saddle you up with the right horse. You will have the same horse all week so you can get to know and love each other.

Laughing Water Ranch is "Western Hospitality at its Best" ... the epitome of western adventure.
The Ranch offers a host of activities for children, families, adults and singles. Offering guests the opportunity to take a step back and reconnect with nature, with beauty.. with life itself. A time to live free and unrestrained from the confines of city life. A week at this dude ranch will touch your heart and set your spirit on fire no matter your age.

Children's program... When it comes to the children's program, the best in the West is here at Laughing Water Guest Ranch, offering the true western experience to children.

For children 4-8 the Ranch offers the Kamp Kootenai program. The activities center around a Native American/Western theme (costumes included) with horseback rides, crafts, nature walks and Indian culture through sign language are just a few of the activities. There is even an authentic Indian camp with teepees that the kids have the opportunity to camp in over night as part of their stay.

For the older kids age 9-14 the Ranch offers Fort Laramie (uniform and gear included). This program involves life on a cavalry-style frontier post, with scouting on horseback, guard duty, rifle practice (bb gun), horse care, arrow making and camping out in the fort is just a fraction of the adventure they will have during their visit. At the end of the week there is a pow-wow and cavalry exhibition.

The Cattle Drives... May, September and October is "Lite Season" for adults and singles only age 18 and over. It is during this time that the Ranch offers Cattle Drives and Sorting Clinics. You will have the option of rounding up, branding and driving cattle during selected weeks. Based on the week you choose to visit you can opt to spend two nights at the cattle drive camp or you can spend a day working cows and ride back to the ranch in the evening. The professional sorting clinic will teach you how to sort cows on horseback. It is the most fun you can have on horseback!