Overview

Laughing Water Guest 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, this guest ranch has a wonderful trail system for scenic and challenging horseback riding. Colorful names such as the “Trail of Tears”, “Ron’s Overlook”, and the “North Fork of Deep Creek Trail” will become part of your memory book. 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.

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 even bears on your outdoor adventures. At Laughing Water Guest Ranch you will become familiar with the reaches of Laughing Water Creek, the majestic heights of Mt. Marston, Mt. Fir, and Baldy Mountain as well as the remote beauty and stillness of Martin Lake.

The ranch is located only 20 miles from Canada and 40 miles west of Glacier National Park. The ranch property has been in the Mikita family for 30 years. It began operation as a dude ranch in 1988, using its ranch house as a lodge. The Old Homestead Cabin was refurbished for guest use a few years later, and in 1996 construction of four more log cabins took place. The owners’ son, Ted Jr., took over the reins of the ranch in 1996 and runs a professional, family-oriented guest operation.

The staff consists of local, long-time workers of the ranch who love to share stories of Montana and of the horses. The children’s counselors run the Fort Laramie and Kamp Kootenai programs that include a miniature stockade, shooting range, tepee village, and horseback riding. Aside from the children’s programs, kids will participate with the adults in most activities since the family experience is emphasized at Laughing Water Guest Ranch.

The food is wonderfully delicious and features home-style ranch cooking. Advantage is taken of the beautiful summer weather with numerous outdoor barbecues and lunches on the trail. They welcome vegetarians and others with special diet concerns.

In May and September, when kids are in school, the Ranch mood changes to a more serene horse-oriented adventure. To reflect this, the ranch advertises Adults Only and Singles Weeks, a pared down version of the summer program at rock-bottom prices. So go ahead...stop "going on" vacation and start "living" one!