Our family of 5 (three kids, girls aged 9 and 7, and 5 yr old boy) just returned a few days ago from a week in Yellowstone National Park followed by a week at Nine Quarter Circle Ranch. There are a lot of trips that are fun but don't quite live up to the highest expectations, but our time with the Kelsey family at NQCR was a rare thing in that it far exceeded our wildest expectations. By the end of the very first evening we had already been welcomed as warmly as though we were family, and our kids each had found a friend among the other kids on the ranch. By the second day the kids were all asking if we could please schedule again for next summer. Even though I had chosen NQCR for its famous kid wrangler program, we had no way of knowing just how much fun they would all have. Their days were filled with horseback riding, various crafts, playing on the playground and just exploring the gorgeous ranch with their new-found friends. The only problem we had all week was when we had to convince them it was time to wash and go to bed since the sky was light until almost 10 every evening. This left my wife and me free to take advantage of the twice daily rides (where we both significantly increased our horsemanship skills), the fly fishing and a few hikes to take in the amazing views. We really never rode the same trails twice, and I feel if we had stayed a second week we still wouldn't have seen all the stunning scenery surrounding the ranch. The menu was varied and we looked forward each day to the fresh and tasty food their chef cooked up. In fact, as beautiful as the ranch was, as awesome as the horses were and as comfortable as our cabin was, the real treasure here are the Kelseys and their staff. From the wranglers to the kitchen and serving staff, we enjoyed being with everyone there. It was great to see so many employees working with obvious joy and we will miss all of them almost more than everything else from our stay. read more

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Wonderful family vacation. Lots of riding. Beautiful scenery. Great food. Family run ranch.

What an amazing place for a vacation! I've come here for two years now and I can understand why my boyfriend's family has been coming for the past 10 years. It's a beautiful ranch in a valley along the Taylor Fork River. You won't have cell service and you won't want it! Every family has their own cabin. We've stayed in Pollock's Palace, the largest of the cabins which comfortably slept 9 of us! You eat every homemade meal up at the main cabin with the owners and the rest of the guests, they sit you with different people every night so you always get the chance to get to know the other guests. Adults get a happy hour before dinner every night (love it!). And the food is soooo good. I bought the recipe book at the gift shop and can't wait to try more recipes. Two horse rides go out every day- after breakfast and after lunch which you can choose to go on at any experience level. They lead you on one of the many beautiful trails- usually with you riding the same horse all week. If you don't want to ride, you can relax, go for a hike, go fishing, go into one of the nearby towns. It's so relaxing and off the grid. Every night they have something different: hayride, softball game, horse ride to dinner, etc. And this year, we were there for the 4th of July, where we had games like water balloon toss, sack race, tug of war. So much fun! The family that owns the ranch has been there for a least two generations and they really make you feel like a part of their family. I can't wait to go back next year! read more

9 Quarter Circle Ranch - Vacation Rentals Near Me - Gallatin Gateway, Montana

The Letter I sent the Ranch after our family spent 6 days at the 9 Quarter Circle Ranch in June of 2018 Dear Sherry, Please let the wranglers, Spencer (our fishing guru), kitchen staff and cabin staff know that we will never forget the spectacularly beautiful time we spent with them at the 9 Quarter Circle Ranch. My purpose was to introduce my daughter and grandchildren to the sweeping, stunning beauty of Montana and the independent, hardworking people of Montana. And to get them home intact without any broken bones. Mission accomplished! When we first arrived and realized we were the only guests and that the boys (11 & 9) would not have any other children with whom to play and interact, I was concerned. Brothers constantly fight, tease and torment each other if not distracted by others! It turned out to be a blessing. My youngest grandson is a special needs child with severe ADHD, who simply does not hear anyone else unless you get him to look at you and acknowledge what you have said. Kelly had said she thought your staff could work with him and Becca was OUTSTANDING! I doubt she will ever know how much it meant to him to be able to eventually ride with his big brother. I doubt this would have been possible if the Ranch was busy, as it now is becoming, as the weather turns warmer. Spencer converted my daughter into a fisherperson and the boys loved catching fish in the pond. The cold, rainy day Spencer took my 11 y.o. grandson and me fly fishing on the Gallatin turned out to be a day we will never forget for just the beauty of the rushing river and the unabated enthusiasm of Spencer. We did hook a couple but did not "catch" any fish, despite over 2 hours of walking along the rushing Gallatin river. My grandson of course fell in but took that as a badge of honor! Providing us the waders, boots and rods made all of this possible and is a great aspect of your ranch experience. The riding was everything one could ask for: stunning beauty, flowered meadows, rides up into the upper meadows and cloudy but striking views of the mountains from up there. Riding alongside the Taylor Ford River and listening to the rushing water while surrounded by such beauty and peace is good for the soul. The wind storm, falling trees on our path in the forest, rain, lightening and hail all have given us some really good TALES TO TELL! The wranglers kept their cool during some pretty scary moments and recalculated how to get us quickly and safely out of harm's way. I must say I was also proud of my 11 y.o grandson who stayed calm and steady and my daughter who kept cracking jokes as the forest swayed and cracked around us and lightning and thunder prevailed. The weather was cold and rainy most of the time but punctuated by spectacular sunshine and afternoon RAINBOWS. One day a Double Rainbow set against the green meadows and mountains. The Lodge with the roaring fireplaces and the bottomless hot chocolate took the edge off the chill and added to the cozy feel of the ranch. My oldest grandson became an experienced fire builder for the little wood burning stoves that kept our cabin cozy. The cabins were so lovely and do not display on the web as nice as they are. The young lady cleaning our cabin did a great job ( 2 boys in small spaces) and we could not ask for anything better. Happy Hour helped my daughter and me forget our sore bodies and we loved sitting on the porch or in by the fireplace during this important afternoon ritual!! The food was fantastic and the boys ate everything and loved especially the breakfast waffles, pancakes and oatmeal. Normally I do NOT eat 3 meals a day, but I did at the Ranch and did not gain a pound because of all of the walking, stair climbing and activities!! Now that is something for a pudgy 72 year old!! Shannon was so excited and thrilled to see all the wild life (hawks, eagles on the Ranch and Bears, bison and mule deer in Yellowstone). The Ranch being so close to Yellowstone is a terrific benefit. After a 100 years of doing this, you all have it down perfectly. In summary: Thank you for being everything you said you were. We will never forget our time at the 9 Quarter Circle Ranch. As my 11 year old grandson said: "I want to stay". I hope someday the boys will come back to your beautiful piece of the earth. Sincerely, Dianne Murphy read more

We spent what was my personal 4th year at the Nine Quarter Circle Ranch on June 25-July 2, 2017 and, as always, it was a wonderful experience. My grandmother (Betsy Thompson) has been going for 35 years (about 20+ visits herself) and has been gracious enough to share the experience with the rest of us! Kim, Kelly and Kameron are gracious hosts, taking care of our party of 20 as if we were family. We have a 4 year old daughter and a 1.5 year old son and they surely didn't want to leave! Between horses and hiking and fishing and playgrounds and general exploring they really have it all. Megan is the kiddie wrangler this year who ended up doing double duty as the babysitter due to unforeseen circumstances and she truly is amazing! She was a huge help with our youngest, who can be a little clingy (ha!) to Mom. She had a total of 4-5 kids at a time (ages 1.5-6) and handled them all with wonderful composure. The kids all love her and ours ask for her even after coming home! Mandy is lead in the dining hall and is a treasure herself. She has such a gentle and sweet personality and it was a joy to talk with her. She and our 1.5 year old boy adopted each other and he would rush us out of the cabin at meal times to go see her! She and the rest of the dining staff (Laurel, Emalia, Pete, Ronaldo, Chef Russ to name a few) serve wonderful home made meals (halibut, chicken pot pie, broccoli cheese soup, steak sandwiches with au jous is just the beginning) and made sure that we are all fed and happy. I rode every day while my husband ran up the mountain behind the (Lincoln 7712ft) about 16 times throughout the week (ultra runners gotta run! and the trails right next to us was too tempting to pass up). All of the wranglers took us on beautiful and sometimes challenging trails. The first day Kameron took our ride and after that I rode with Chelsea all week and it was very enjoyable. She made sure to take us off the beaten path to enjoy some of the less traveled areas where wildflowers are abundant, creeks and rivers are soothing, and the views are breathtaking. Myself, my husband, brother, dad, and cousin also took advantage of the fly fishing lessons Will (the resident fishing expert) provides every day. It is a nice change of pace when you need a break from riding! He is very knowledgeable and a great teacher! Our little ones even got to take a turn at it. He provides all of the equipment and lessons start at the pond on the grounds where fish are "fed" into the pond via stream with a bald eagle looking over and geese with their goslings coming to visit. Down time was spent reading or just enjoying the tranquil environment and amazing weather we had. A couple of days it rained a little (mountain storms rarely last long), but the lodge has a roaring fire to keep you company. My grandmother spent some of her days enjoying the fire with her book and being spoiled by John (the handy maintenance man), Will, and Chef Russ, who made sure she had blankets and fires and all around comfort. It made her feel very special and we all appreciated the effort! Needless to say, they have a wonderful operation at the Nine Quarter Circle Ranch and I recommend it to anyone looking for the western experience: horses, good food, good people, square dances, bonfires, and hay rides. And that's only the beginning. read more

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