Saddle up for a wilderness pack trip adventure
You need not be a hunter or angler to thoroughly enjoy an adventure in Montana. We offer horseback riding, hiking, sightseeing and photography trips into our remote backcountry area for a wide variety of clients. If you like you can just bring a few good books to read, relax and do nothing more than enjoy this beautiful country. Over the years we’ve even had artists join us to record their impressions of this very special place.
We have two wilderness camps from which you can choose for your horse pack trip, Hellroaring and Buffalo Fork. Your adventure begins the morning of your departure for our backcountry camps. Currently, for all pack trips you will meet at the Absaroka-Beartooth Outfitters Headquarters in Big Timber and caravan with our staff to the Box Canyon trailhead. You will follow the meandering Boulder River on your road trip to the trailhead. If some of this country looks familiar, perhaps it is that you have seen it on the big screen in A River Runs Through It, and The Horse Whisperer.
Upon arrival at the trailhead, your guides and wranglers will pack your gear and introduce you to your horse. You’ll saddle up and ride old sheep trails and switchbacks, topping the Hellroaring Divide at 10,000 feet. The Divide offers a short break from riding for a bite of lunch and some amazing picture opportunities. Remounted, you will head down country riding through timber and meadows for a few hours before descending into base camp. The ride is approximately five and a half hours long.
At camp you may relax and refresh yourself in your wall tent whose comfort and coziness belies the fact that you are many miles from any permanent human habitation. That evening you will enjoy a wonderfully prepared meal with beverages of your choice, a roaring campfire to gather ’round and time to socialize and share the anticipation of the adventures to come.
A good night’s sleep followed by an early rising and a big breakfast prepared by our great cook will set you on the path for your true mission: hiking, riding, fishing, relaxing, reading, exploring or just enjoying what is justifiably called, “God’s Country”.
Regardless of your chosen activity, our guides will escort you every step of the way. We are confident that you will find them knowledgeable, skilled, and accommodating.
Join us for an Adventure Above the Rest!
Wilderness Horse Pack Trip
Our 5-day wilderness horse pack trips operate out of our backcountry camps, Hellroaring and Buffalo Fork, located north of Yellowstone National Park. The first day of the trip you will spend approximately five and a half hours on horseback riding to camp, followed by a pack string straight out of the old west. Our guides will lead you through the magnificent Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness, up switchbacks and over the Hellroaring Divide topping 10,000 feet. From the Divide, you will descend 2,800 feet into a picturesque valley, the home of our Hellroaring or Buffalo Fork basecamps. Our string of horses and mules are dependable. Previous riding experience is helpful but not required.
Custom Wilderness Single & Multi-Day Horseback Adventures
Available for groups of 4 or more. Please email info@ABOadventures.com or call 406-579-3866 to plan your custom adventure.
Wilderness Horse Pack Trip - Hellroaring
Location: Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness – Hellroaring Camp
Accommodations: Comfortable backcountry tent camp and hearty meals provided.
Trip length: 5-days; 1 day riding to camp, 3 days in Hellroaring, 1 day riding out.
License needed if you want to Fish: Fishing licenses can be purchased over the counter or online at MFWP.
**You will need to make reservations in Big Timber, Livingston or Bozeman for your incoming and your outgoing nights as we leave early for the mountains on the first day of your trip and return from the mountains in the late afternoon/early evening on the last day of your trip.
Wilderness Horse Pack Trip – Buffalo Fork
ABO’s Buffalo Fork camp is accessed by horseback from several different trailheads. There are opportunities to ride directly to camp or to do progressive trips to camp. Progressive trips mean overnight camping along the way before you get to camp. Progressive trips are considered custom trips so pricing may vary based on number of riders and days. Trip details will be determined based on access point and trip choice. This trip will elevate you to a time when life was traveled on horseback with mule strings and wood was cut with a crosscut saw. You will experience the magnitude and awe of the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness.
Wilderness Horse Pack Trip - Buffalo Fork
Location: Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness – Buffalo Fork Camp
Accommodations: Comfortable backcountry tent camp and hearty meals provided.
Trip length: 5-days; 1 day riding to camp, 3 days in Buffalo Fork, 1 day riding out.
License needed if you want to Fish: Fishing licenses can be purchased over the counter or online at MFWP.
**You will need to make reservations in Big Timber, Livingston or Bozeman for your incoming and your outgoing nights as we leave early for the mountains on the first day of your trip and return from the mountains in the late afternoon/early evening on the last day of your trip.
Grizzly/Wolf Photo Safari
Imagine yourself tracking a grizzly bear or a pack of wolves armed only with your sense of adventure, your photography skill and your trusty camera. ABO has added grizzly bear/wolf photo safaris to its list of unforgettable Montana wilderness adventures. If you choose, you can leave your camera and just enjoy the thrill of this unique experience. Your guide and tracker will be ABO’s Outfitter, Cameron Mayo. Cameron has spent countless hours riding the Absaroka-Beartooth country. He is an experienced outdoorsman and knowledgeable about the area and its habitat.
Grizzly / Wolf Photo Safari
Location: Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness – Hellroaring Camp
Accommodations: Comfortable backcountry tent camp and hearty meals provided.
Trip length: 5-days; 1 day riding to camp, 3 days in camp, 1 day riding out.
License needed: None unless you’d like to fish. Fishing licenses can be purchased over the counter or online at MFWP.
Custom trips available upon request.
**You will need to make reservations in Big Timber, Livingston or Bozeman for your incoming and your outgoing nights as we leave early for the mountains on the first day of your trip and return from the mountains in the late afternoon/early evening on the last day of your trip.
For more Backcountry Adventures, check out the custom trips below on our Adventure page!
Fulfill Your Sense of Adventure.
Deposit, Payment and Refund Policy
A deposit of 50% of the trip is required to book your reservation. This deposit is non-refundable. The balance of the trip is due 30 days prior to trip date and is nonrefundable. Trips not fully paid by this date will be considered cancelled. We recommend Trip Cancellation Insurance. Montana Outfitters & Guides Association suggests Global Rescue travel insurance. http://www.montanaoutfitters.org/travelersinsurance/
We accept Credit Cards (Visa/MasterCard only) and Checks. Make Checks Payable to: Absaroka-Beartooth Outfitters, Inc.
