Dryhead Ranch

Dryhead Ranch (formerly called Schively Ranch) is an authentic working cattle and quarter horse ranch located in the Dryhead Canyon on the eastern slopes of the Pryor Mountains south of Billings, Montana. Your hosts invite you to experience a lifestyle you've only seen in the movies. Now you can take part in your first REAL cattle drive, the NEW Horse Drive adventure, brand your own calf, and experience riding a trained cow horse while you are at the Dryhead Ranch.

Cattle Drives... Cowboys have taken care of this ranch since 1898 and will ride with you on 20,000 acres of open grassland country while taking care of 1,000 head of mother cows and calves. Cattle drives take place in spring, summer, and fall. When weather permits, you will camp along the trail in a real cow camp with a cook tent, chuck wagon, and teepees.

Working Ranch... Ranch weeks start at the conclusion of the cattle drives and end with the fall drives. You may relax in a bunkhouse where you will find six comfortably furnished Western-style rooms. The cabins are secluded and the ranch house offers three bedrooms and a shared bath. There is also an inviting front porch on which to relax and listen to or share cowboy stories with fellow guests.

Grub... After a day on the range, you'll have a healthy appetite. All food served at Dryhead Ranch consists of country home-style meals. Lots of Black Angus steak, country potatoes, salad bar, and cookies are always on hand. Each meal is served buffet style. Quite often, lunch is served out where the cowboys are riding. A chuck wagon lunch is always a welcome treat! For some rides, guests can fix their own sack lunch.

Activities... A full ranch week may include branding, vaccinating, roping, mini-veterinary needs, wrangling the cavvy, holding herd, salting, fencing, rotating pastures, bull gathering, weaning calves, pregnancy testing cows, weaning colts, working mare bands, occasional horse drives, and rounding up strays. Each depends on the time of year you decide to visit the ranch. But you can be sure you will be able to push a lot of cattle! Beginning roping instructions and riding hints are available upon request.

Around the campfire and beyond... Be sure to bring your guitar and ease on up to the campfire at the close of the day. Brush up on your story telling and jokes -- getting to know each other is a priority at the Dryhead Ranch. Outside the ranch, you will find many attractions surrounding you, including Cody, Wyoming with its unique shopping and dining. Visit the Custer Battlefield and the Pryor Wild Horse Recreation Area for more off-site adventures.

There are no phones, faxes, clocks, or tight schedules here, so just lean on the fence and relax while you make the cowboy lifestyle part of your own at the Dryhead Ranch.