Dashing Through the Snow:
Sleigh Riding in Montana

The Low Impact Winter Activity | How to Dress | Where to Catch a Sleigh

The Ultimate Low Impact Winter Sport

Skiing, skating, sledding, snowshoeing...all great winter sports in Montana, but mere mortals can't do them 24 hours a day. So if you need a break from some of the more strenuous winter sports in Montana--or if you just want to enjoy some winter scenery while relaxing--a sleigh ride is the perfect solution.

Sure, it's relaxing. Your ears are treated to the jingling of sleigh bells (just like in the Holiday carols); your eyes are treated to scenes of white winter enchantment, and your lungs are treated to crisp mountain air. When you crawl into bed afterwards, you'll find that relaxing combination is about the best sleeping remedy on the market; you'll drift off to slumberland with the sounds of jingle bells still floating around you.

 

How to Dress

The most basic rule is: it's winter and you'll be outside, so dress to stay warm. If you have ski clothes wear them. Remember, since you won't be exerting yourself physically, you'll get cold faster.

Wear the warmest boots you have, as your feet will be the first to feel the cold. Hats and gloves, of course, are musts; when you're zipping through brisk mountain air in a sleigh, the chill can set in quickly--especially on exposed skin.

Where to Catch a Sleigh

Of course, you'll have a choice to make once you've decided to go on a sleigh ride. (This being Montana, we like to give you lots of choices for fun.) Do you want a quick spin around the countryside? An evening jaunt under the stars to a romantic dinner? A group outing filled with friends? A long, comprehensive scenic tour?

You'll find that Montana's sleigh ride companies give you plenty of options for your trip. At most of our destination ski resorts, you can easily arrange sleigh rides either on-mountain or at a nearby company. Or, if you're staying at a guest ranch or resort, chances are sleigh rides are offered as a normal activity. For instance, Lone Mountain Ranch offers sleigh ride dinners; your sleigh ride whisks your through a fragrant pine forest to a gourmet prime rib dinner in a beautiful log cabin. (You'll even be treated to musical entertainment.) Meanwhile, the 320 Guest Ranch offers a historic treat: your sleigh ride takes you to an authentic mountain man campsite for refreshments, then on to a dinner feast at the original 320 Ranch homestead (now the historic restaurant and saloon).

For full details on a sleigh ride adventure, just check out any of the companies listed below. Over the fields you'll go, laughing all the way.