Plan Your Trip to Bonanza Creek Country
Bonanza Creek is located in South Central Montana in Meagher County (pronounced Mahr) 
and is a part of the Voldseth Ranch, a 25,000 acre working cattle ranch. The Voldseth Ranch lies partly in the legendary Crazy Mountains and partly in the beautiful Castle Mountains. While our mailing address is Martinsdale, a tiny former railroad town 12 miles away, we consider ourselves part of Lennep, a former railroad stop and now a crossroads of 4 buildings, including a one room school house and a church, that you’ll drive through on your way up to Bonanza Creek. We are wonderfully remote.
You’ll want to pack clothes that are easily layered as weather can be unpredictable and temperatures can go from cool to quite warm in a single day.
…Long and short sleeved shirts, pants and shorts
…Jacket and fleece or sweatshirt for layering. A heavier jacket is recommended for June and September dates.
…Hats and caps are helpful for keeping the sun out of your eyes and off your face.
…Optional gear that can be helpful includes gloves, rain gear, sunscreen, swimsuit for the Hot Springs and fishing equipment
…A camera!
If riding you will also need:
…Boots with a heel are a must to prevent your foot from slipping through your stirrups.
…Jeans or riding pants
…Hat, cap or helmet. Cowboy hats need a stampede string (for sale here if you wish).
…Chaps if you wish.
It is easiest to fly into Bozeman, but Billings is also an option. Rental cars are available from both airports, and the drive from each is very different, giving you different perspectives on Montana. The closest and most spectacular drive is from Bozeman through the gorgeous Bridger Canyon.
The drive from Bozeman is about 100 miles and takes close to 2 hours; from Billings, about 140 miles and 2.5 hours. See our Map & Directions
When the guest ranch was built in 1993, the amazing power of the sun was chosen for generation of power through a solar system. We have found that, with some patience, the use of solar energy works well for us.
Think green and come prepared to save energy. There is power 24 hours a day, but we unfortunately cannot accommodate sleep machines. A back up generator is available for mornings and cloudy days. Water is heated with propane, so there’s plenty of hot water for a soothing hot shower after a long day outdoors.
For the Cowgirl Retreats, meals are home cooked and there’s plenty of it! Three squares a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner. From big country breakfasts to satisfying lunches and dinners, to fresh baked desserts; you definitely won’t go hungry at Bonanza Creek. If you require a special diet, just let us know ahead of time.
For Cabin Getaway guests, a full breakfast and a sack lunch are available by our own cook early June through mid September for an extra charge. It is a great way to add to the relaxation of your time here. Because we are in the middle of nowhere and will need to stock up, please let us know at least a month ahead of your stay what meals we can cook for you.
Cabin Amenities: There is a refrigerator, coffee pot, coffee and hot water pot in each cabin.
Bonanza Creek Shop: Bonanza Creek clothing, hats, caps and gloves as well as western gift items are available at our little trading post in the Lodge.
Guest Laundry: Is available at the Lodge at no extra charge and is open from 7am to 7pm early June to mid September. Please try to do your wash on a sunny day.
Connectivity: There is no cell phone coverage and no television at the ranch. Wifi is only at the lodge and is limited. Calling works on most cell phones through wifi.
Weather: July and August tend to be days of sunshine at 80—85 degrees F and little to no humidity and cooler evenings. June and September are cooler and unpredictable with possible moisture. June has beautiful wildflowers and lots of green grass. September offers gorgeous autumn days with those wonderful crisp cool evenings. You are in the mountains of Montana so come prepared for change as you might get a bit of everything in one week or one day. You can check weather.com for Martinsdale MT or Ringling MT before packing.
Jet Lag: We recommend anyone coming from overseas to arrive in America a few days early to get used to our time schedule and enable you to enjoy your time on the ranch and be well rested.
Covid19 – We feel it is easy to social distance here.
Select activities are operated under a special use permit with the Lewis and Clark National Forest. This Institution is an equal opportunity provider.
