How one dude ranch is creating community through food and beverage
Cowboy culture has been ruling our media lately — from the endless spinoffs of Yellowstone, to Post Malone and Beyonce dropping country albums, to the rise of western wear. It’s clear that cowboy culture is making a comeback. And I’ve been no exception from falling victim to the trend, so when the opportunity to live out my best cowgirl dreams in Northwest Montana arose, I didn’t hesitate.
In the meek drive from the Kalispell Airport to Bigfork Montana, I wondered what my very first experience at an all-inclusive, adults-only “dude ranch” would be like. I imagined an adult-sized summer camp fully equipped with food court–style meals, underdressed beds that feel only slightly more accommodating, and awkward attempts to fit into other friend groups. I quivered slightly at the thought of “cowboy food” and how to best prepare myself for sludgy coffee and canned beans. Needless to say, the expectations were humble.
But upon reception at the gorgeous property of Flathead Lake Lodge, all those worries fell away. I was greeted with warm hospitality and shown to my (very well dressed and adult-sized) room. Moreover, I was reassured that the pastries in the charming cafe — mere yards away from my door — were all housemade. Hours later, the first night of “adult fun camp” was beginning. Craft cocktails in hand and mingling with others over shared interest in extracurricular activities while overlooking the gleaming waters of Flathead Lake, I knew I would be more than okay.
The days that followed were a blur of fun, but there was one thing that stood out more than anything — the food program. Where I was expecting preserved foods and boring buffet lines, I was met with fresh and intricate dishes in the midst of exciting new adventures.
The food and adventure
If you’re feeling adventurous enough to saddle a very sweet and well-trained horse to gallop through a few acres of beautifully maintained trail, you’ll be handsomely rewarded with one of the best outdoor breakfasts you could ever imagine, cooked by wranglers who double as chefs. Trekking through the rolling hills of Bigfork, you’ll stop to refuel on fresh blueberry pancakes cooked in front of you and flipped directly on your plate. The classics are also available — freshly scrambled eggs, crispy home potatoes, and quite possibly the best bacon you will ever have (sustainably sourced from the farm just down the road). All this, while gathered around a cozy morning bonfire with a fresh cup of coffee in hand.
But if horseback riding isn’t your thing or you’re simply not a fan of breakfast food, don’t worry, because the lodge is anything but short on adventure — or outstanding meals. Peppered in between the skeet shooting, archery, kayaking, mountainbiking, flyfishing, boating, Pinzgaur rides through elk preserves, and happy-hour hikes to the old water tower that overlooks the lake, is where the real magic happens — the quiet and seamless community building. The conversations with the person whose horse keeps following yours, the jokes about the outhouse with the best view with your hiking mates, the late-night stories exchanged over craft cocktails at the saddlesore saloon with the other night owls.
By dinner, you’re not just looking for a seat with the best view, you’re looking for a seat at the table with all your new friends to sop up the last delicious drippings of the day. And just when you thought things couldn’t get any better, Chef Robert Clagett presents an outstanding three-course meal, complete with fine wine pairings. As plates fill the table with the modest seasonal and local ingredients that have been transformed into elegant works of art, while sipping a glass of award winning Argentinian Cab Franc or French Chenin Blanc, you remember the joys of being an adult who can appreciate the finer things after a day full of childlike fun.
And all of this culminates in their pièce de résistance, their “mountain steak fry,” where you and your new companions ride in old firetrucks — yes, firetrucks — to enjoy a woodfire-cooked steak dinner, locally sourced and masterfully grilled up by none other than the 3rd generation rancher of Flathead Lake Lodge himself, Chase Averill. Through this last dining event, he makes his philosophy and goal for his lodge and its food program perfectly clear: Flathead Lake Lodge aims to not just highlight the bounty of Montana agriculture or the beauty of its terrain, but to create lasting connections that you’ll take with you to wherever you call home. No matter your interests or background, whether you’re a wannabe cowboy or simply a good vacationer, at the end of the day, we’re all just excited to sit at the same table to share a remarkable meal and luxurious beverage together. Visit the lodge for the adventure, stay for the food and friends.
If the cowboy lifestyle isn’t quite up your alley. Fortunately, their passion for flavor extends far beyond summer and well into the lodge’s winter off season. At Quarter Circle, the Averill family transforms their dining hall into an award-winning restaurant. Open to the public, classically trained Chef Rob continues to show off his skills by elevating rustic ingredients into something far more special. Enjoy diverse Spanish style tapas while cozied up in the unforgettable 1930s fireside lodge.
