Firehole Ranch - A Historic Montana Lodge

Main Lodge

The Firehole Ranch provides a rare opportunity for an intimate, world-class fly fishing experience in a spectacular location, near West Yellowstone, that is a cultural and historic landmark. Originally established in the 1860’s as the Watkins Creek Ranch, its 640 acres have remained largely unchanged since then. Opening as an exclusive Montana dude ranch in 1947, the Firehole Ranch was graced by the likes of Isabel Lincoln, granddaughter of John D. Rockefeller. A desire to escape the modern world and a chance to see the untouched beauty of the Rocky Mountain West inspired those first dude ranch guests to seek out an authentic western “cowboy” experience, and continues to draw today’s visitors as well. Subtle, unobtrusive, the main lodge allows the surrounding stunning landscape to dominate. Handcrafted in the 1940’s, over the years the main lodge and cabins have been lovingly restored to retain their original warmth, comfort, and charm. Like everything else about the Firehole Ranch, great care was taken to preserve as much of the original structures and experience as possible. As a result, it is now listed on National Historic Register, an honor roll of our nation’s cultural landmarks.

When standing next to the large stone fireplace or gazing over the vast ink blue waters of Hebgen Lake there is a sense of the elasticity of time. While it is difficult to imagine the generations of anglers who came before, it is not hard to understand what drew them to this place. Fly fishing enthusiasts are passionate about their sport and for many the Firehole Ranch is a large part of their personal lore. It is a treasured secret that lures them back year after year, some for over 25 years now.