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.

Booked through flying pig adventures. Did a 1 hr ride…read more This was an outstanding and awesome experience! The views were incredible! Went with a group of 5 and loved every minute of it. The ranch is about 20 minutes outside of gardiner and it's a beautiful and scenic drive. We did it with a minivan no problem. The horses are very tame and docile. The owner warren was a genuine class act. Our guide Peyton was very knowledgable and friendly. Pointed out many small details. Their dogs Sam, sawyer and millie followed us the entire trail. They were rolling in the snow and leading the way. We were riding with wild elk within 25 yards! Highly recommend and wish we did a longer ride!

My mother and I recently went to Hell's A-Roarin and we had a blast! When we first walked in the…read moreranch, we were greeted by four friendly dogs. There were also a plethora of horses in their stables and baby horses. The wranglers were hospitable and gave us forms to sign which gave us an overview of what horseback riding rules and safety regulations. As we were guided to our horses, they introduced us to them and told us how to control our horses. At first, I was skeptical because there was no harness involved and I felt that I was gonna fall off. But as we continued riding, I felt much more relaxed and confident in controlling my horse. We were riding in the hills and saw beautiful scenery. It was my very first time riding a horse and I truly loved every bit of it!

Horseback riding with Wilderness Connection was easily one of the best parts of our trip. A…read morefamily-owned business that has been passed down through 5 generations - you can feel the pride and passion behind everything they do. Our guide, Tyler, made the ride unforgettable. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the area and also had an unbelievable ability to spot wildlife along the trail. The views were gorgeous the entire ride. The horses were wonderful, healthy, well cared for, and matched thoughtfully to each rider's comfort and experience level. The whole team created such a welcoming and safe environment. Highly recommend.

Had a wonderful time at The Wilderness Connection! The…read morecustomer service was fantastic--everyone was so patient and kind, especially with our 7-year-old who was very scared at first. Thanks to Tylers calm and encouraging approach, she ended up having an amazing time and now says she wants to come back and work there when she grows up! Truly a memorable experience. What an amazing family we will definitely be back to hunt in the winter.

Booking this experience contributes to the pain and suffering of horses! This was my first ever…read morehorseback riding experience and it was unfortunately the most traumatizing. My partner attempted to get on the horse and the horse collapsed with him on its back. We were repeatedly told that the horse was fine and was still okay to ride. They lied. We trusted professionals to ensure our safety and the safety of their own horses. I have videos of the horse ride showing the horse constantly bobbing its head up and down. Not knowing much about riding, I still knew that this didn't look right. "Bobbing its head up and down indicates lameness, discomfort, or pain". WHY LET US RIDE THEN?! We were also told that this exact horse had 10 rides the day before, including someone who weighed up to almost 400lbs. HOW IS THAT HUMANE?! Why do other companies have weight limits and this one does not? If someone is too big for the horse, MAYBE THEY SHOULDN'T BE RIDING THAT POOR HORSE TO BEGIN WITH! Knowing that my money contributed to the pain and suffering of these horses is killing me. This company should be ashamed of themselves for allowing these horses to live in pain solely for human profit. I would have much rather cancelled this whole experience and received a refund, but instead they let us ride an already badly injured horse. Once this horse can't take it anymore, they will likely just break another's back. If you truly love horses, this is not the place to spend your money. Please contact Paintbrush Adventures instead! I went there after my terrible experience here and I actually learned so much about horseback riding and safety!

We had a great late season ride. I took my daughter and her best friend so they could ride…read moretogether before she moves off to FL. Our guide was Stephen for the 2 hour ride. He was an experienced rider and was really encouraging to my daughter who has a great passion for riding. After the ride we went over to the mill for lunch. Delicious and reasonable! Will be back.

We decided to go to a ranch for a summer vacation with our family of 10. We were hoping for a…read moreworking vacation and of course having fun, our experience was 100 times better than we expected. We got a taste of what real farm life is like. The workers were incredible to the visitors and incredibly hard working. We rode horses for 3 days and saw some beautiful animals on our ride in the mountains and some amazing views. The cooking was incredible and our whole family enjoyed every second of the vacation. There was an activity for every kind of person. We also got to feed the animals in the morning and meet other animals from the ranch. The living conditions were great as well, every room was clean and spacious. This vacation was incredible in so many ways. We highly recommend this ranch to every family. Thank you Barron Ranch! - The Boutilier's

I'm not sure why they don't have a yelp yet. But my experience was so amazing I had to make one. My…read moredaughter is 4 turning 5 in a couple months Sharron was so patient and kind to her. (She had a few scares) Sharron had her calm and even smiling by the end of the 2 hr ride. We just moved here from CA for a different lifestyle and this was an amazing experience. Thank you to Sharron her daughter and Tiny for the great day.

The trail ride was great for beginners or those of us that haven't ridden in a while…read more Grandpa Tim is ALL business, but just wants everyone to be safe. Easton was a great guide,very helpful and knowledgeable. Would recommend Bear Paw Outfitters!!

Bear Paw Outfitters was outstanding. Mr. Bowers was great. The horses were very well trained and…read morethe scenery was amazing. Mr. Bowers provided great insight on the history of the valley...very cool. Truly grateful! Eddy & April from NC

We had a fantastic 2 hour horsemanship lesson with Maureen. She was so nice, made us feel at…read morewelcome straight off the bat. She was patient and very engaged with the kids, redirecting them as needed. The horses were beautiful and appeared to be very well cared for. Gorgeous property, can't wait to come back.

From the owner: Horsemanship lessons and training from experienced riders, specializing in natural horsemanship to…read morebuild a strong relationship to our equine friends.