Extremely sad. These people should not be allowed to own horses. This is animal abuse. Horses…read moreforced to lay in their own waste and drink disgusting water. not a single area of ground that isn't half a foot high in horse poop. The horses were sinking into it and slipping in it. I've never seen anything this horrendous at a stable in my entire life and I've been to many. This place is disgusting and these people should not be allowed to own animals.

Highly recommend this experienced outfitter for pack trips into the Yellowstone. They take great…read morecare of you, and they're a great team. I learned a bit about how it works from them, from the gear to the horse pens, the mule bells, and how to order your group. We spent 3 days in the beautiful mountains, riding up 9,000 feet to a lake, saw wildflowers, gorgeous views and even a bison. Trip of a lifetime.

ONE OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES IN MONTANA!!! I cannot recommend this place enough!!! Do not look…read moreanywhere else! Choose this place! Long review below but the highlights: amazing views and scenery, great animals all around, very sweet owner, great pricing, and some autonomy with the horses My group of 3 decided day of that we wanted to go horseback riding. Everywhere we looked or called was booked. One location that we called recommended Specimen Creek. I looked it up online and saw a number to call (or text) for reservations. I gave them a call and spoke with Ralph. He said he had availability that day for the afternoon and said we were booked for three people. He didn't take my name, number, or email so I was a little worried about confirming that we had the reservation. To get to specimen creek, it was going to be a 1.5 hour drive so I didn't want to show up and there be no reservation. We made the drive from Bozeman and showed up 30-ish minutes before our reservation. The last 15 min of the drive was on a dirt road that could be quite uneven at times. I would recommend an SUV but it is manageable with a smaller car. There's enough signage to get where you need to go but pulling up, we realized we pulled up to Ralph's home. This was where we were supposed to be but we were a little nervous at first incase we got the wrong place. Ralph welcomed up and even introduced us to some of his animals. He has animals of all type that just roam the property freely, and these animals want to be there. He has a turkey that was friendly enough to let us pet him and just chilled by Ralph's front porch. We met a mule named Joy that wanted ALL the attention and would make sure you were aware of her presence so she could get some pets. It was wonderful seeing Ralph interact with his animals because you could tell he cared about them and they cared about him. Ralph gave us a very brief education on how to ride (all 3 of us had maybe ridden a horse once every 5-ish years, so we're basically beginners). And then we set off with him in the lead. We rode on Whiskey, Blue, and Sunny and every horse was amazing. They were so calm and comfortable with us. These horses know the trail and what is expected of them so if you're looking to just sit on a horse and go along for a ride, you could get by. But, if you go in wanting to ride, you will get the BEST experience. Our horses walked majority of the trail, however they would occasionally trot and one horse got into a gallop to catch up to the others (after a quick snack break). So yes these horses can manage without any guidance from the riders, but they will let you ride and control them. We booked the 1 hour ride and the trail we took was AMAZING. We walked through creeks that the horses would drink from, we went over a wooden bridge, there were beautiful views of trees and the mountains of Yellowstone national park in the distance, beautiful wild flowers (even in June), and we even saw a deer frolicking through the tall grass. Majority of the trail was shaded and clear except for an occasional branch that was easy to dodge. The trail has plenty to see and enjoy but even the riding itself was enjoyable. Ralph also stopped to get a photo of us all. Ralph was very nice to us and told us a little more about what he does. He runs the place by himself and said he had been doing this his entire life. He looked very comfortable on his horse and around his animals so there was no concern there. Our 1 hour ride ended a little later than 1 hour but we didn't feel rushed by Ralph. Once we were done, we were able to pay for the experience with a card. Everyone on the ride had an absolute BLAST! I have maybe written one or two reviews but I knew I just had to write one for Specimen Creek. I cannot recommend this place enough. The drive was so worth it for the experience. All of us left so happy with the ride and smiles all around. Thank you Ralph for making it such a wonderful experience!

Soooo, I made reservations for horseback riding for 6 people a month and a half in advance of our…read morefamily reunion at Yellowstone. Two days before our ride, I received a call from Specimen Creek telling me they were canceling our reservation. No explanation was given. Then, as I pressed further, they told me they didn't have enough horses. They also offered no alternatives or other outfitters to call. If I could give them zero stars, I would.

I took the kids out for a horseback ride last month. We're city folk and it was a great experience…read moreto be out in such a wonderful valley with trail guides that were so friendly and helpful, we never felt out of our element. The cookout after was fantastic! I highly recommend this trip if you're looking for a great trail ride experience.

This is our second time here at the park. We made reservations in advance for three weeks and…read moreextended our stay (we were willing to move sites). What we love is their staff - they have hired really great people who care about the property and the people who stay here. This park is clean, sites are well-maintained, and a nice shop with essentials and gift items. Oh did I mention the ice cream? Oh yeah, love sitting by the community camp fire, eating ice cream, watching eagles and ospreys fly across the river, and meeting new people. Definitely a favorite.

Beautiful views!! Nice help and friendly service .... And right off we meet wonderful people who…read morewill be life long friends!

The Armstrong Spring Creek on the O'Hair Ranch is truly a breathtaking sight. Though I did not have…read morethe opportunity to fish in this world renowned fly fisher's haven, I did however have the honor of staying in the hunter's cabin on the ranch for two amazing nights. Justin and Judy are incredibly kind and giving individuals, and their passion for the land is manifested through their dialogue, and that simple look of absolute adoration they both bear. Being from California, I am not accustomed to seeing such a great mass of land and understanding that it is managed and maintained by a few honest people. Though I cannot possibly fathom what drive and dedication it takes to care for the ranch and creek, I do however know, without a doubt, that when it comes to Yelp, five stars is an understatement.

I've fished from Florida to Alaska and some of the best experiences I have had were in Montana…read morefishing with Eric Paramore. Eric is a skilled, knowledgeable, and patient guide who is able to work with everyone from the inexperienced angler to the angler who only needs someone to guide the boat. We have drifted the Yellowstone, fished private spring creeks, fished private lakes and private ranches that very few guides have access to. Each location is a different experience and I am returning again for my fourth trip as these are some of my favorite fishing experiences. We caught cutthroat, rainbows, browns, cutbows and even a few whities. Livingston Montana and the Paradise Valley are some of the most beautiful places in the US. Bring your camera and have yourself a terrific experience. Looking for a place to stay? Eric can arrange a private home stay with full kitchen, bedrooms, living room with cable with easy access to many of the finer restaurants and bars in Livingston.

Location: This is a really great cabin off the US89 between Livingston and Gardiner. We used it as…read morea base for our Yellowstone Park explorations. It is in Emigrant a small town that boasts a great bakery and great BBQ in the warm season. To get to and from the Cabin you drive through the Chico Hot Springs Resort. In addition to hot springs Chico has a riding stable and adventure company for white water, scenic floats and hiking. This is nice if you don't want to drive to Gardiner some days. There is also a nice hike to a falls just up the road from the cabin. The cabin itself was excellent. We were there on some hot days and the cabin stayed cool if you closed the blinds as instructed. There was a full kitchen and while fussy cook husband might have wanted sharper knives for prep work he managed to make some fine meals. He also used the charcoal grill but the black flies were thick in the heat. Better him than me! Happily the long porch facing the stream is fully screened. No biting things there. The porch had a casual dining table and glider bench. The cabin had two bedrooms and one and a half baths. The half bath was in a utility room which included a washer and dryer. Priceless! There was also a comfy living room with two sofas and a glider chair. We never used the TV but it was there too. The cabin had wifi thankfully because there wasn't much cell reception. Basically it was a great place to get away, listen to the creek at night and relax.

Wonderful get away. No people, no problem. Walk to have a cocktail and a fine dinner. All the…read morepeople we did encounter were lovely. Highly recommend this best kept secret in Montana!!