Our Story
A Tale of Two People and Their Dream
Montana Hills Guest Ranch began over several decades ago, and was purchased, renovated, and reopened by the current owners Elaine and Al in 2016. Elaine and Al had owned and operated a boutique Inn and attached farm on Vancouver Island for several years prior to reopening Montana Hills and their years of experience will make you feel so relaxed and welcome at the Ranch that you will feel like family. You won’t find crowds of people so the experience is very personal.
Meet Our Furry and Feathered Friends
Harry
The Horse
Bowie
The Dog
Pippi
The Cow
Elaine & Alan
Al grew up on a farm in Ontario where his dad trained standard bred horses. Al said he never had a bike growing up, just a horse. Elaine grew up moving around a lot her dad was a minister with the United Church of Canada. She raced snowmobiles for Bombardier. After they married, the Dillabaugh’s owned and operated a high-end auto body shop for 17 years and worked on Ferrari’s Mercedes gull-wing to BMWs. During the time they owned and operated the automotive shop, they built a small Inn and Farm.
They operated the inn for 20 years. In September 2016, Al & Elaine sold to the Inn and Farm to a small boutique hotel. In Sept 2016 they moved into their new home and venture “Montana Hill Guest Ranch”. The couple always dreamed of having a guest ranch. They have brought their experience and enthusiasm with them. Come experience this unique way of life and enjoy the western hospitality. When choosing your vacation you can take your kids to the beach or go camping or take them to Montana Hill Guest Ranch and years later ask them about camping or the beach and its long forgotten. What will be branded in their memory is the stay at Montana Hill Guest Ranch.
Meet The Passion Behind Montana Hill
Finding Your Way to Pastoral Acres
With hundred’s of acres to explore, it’s perfect for hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, canoeing, or just a leisurely walk to slow down and enjoy nature.
7915 Machete Lake Rd, Bridge Lake, BC V0K 1X2
How did Al and Elaine fall in love with this unique area of the Cariboo? You’ll see the obvious answers begin to unfold from the moment you arrive. Montana Hill Guest Ranch is a working cattle ranch operated solely by Al and Elaine that sits in the heart of cowboy country in the south Cariboo region of British Columbia. The main ranch sprawls over 100s of acres and is nestled amid the gentle rolling ‘Montana’ hills dotted with pine, aspen, and fir trees. Surrounding the Ranch for miles in every direction stretch the convenient public lands offering a myriad of scenic hiking and riding trails, plus several crystal clear lakes which are perfect for fishing. The fresh air, panoramic views, and quiet surroundings create an environment that will re-charge your batteries and relieve the stress of your busy life. Prepare yourself for an impressive vacation experience that will leave you with unforgettable memories.
From the very beginning, Al and Elaine have been passionately focused on designing the Montana Hill Guest Ranch experience to be both an affordable and cost-effective Holiday, while still offering all the comforts and luxuries you would expect from much pricier Ranches - whether lounging in your upscale self-contained cabin, appointed with kitchenette, ensuite, and queen size log bed, and decorated with antiques and western collectibles, or luxuriating on the deck in the private hot tub gazing over the waving pasture grassland as the BBQ smoke wafts skyward through the Aspen foliage, you will find Montana Hills an easy place to find your own rhythm. Choose between savouring the solitude and social distancing in your cabin, or enjoying the social benefits of the Big Sky Lodge with a game of billiards, or simply relaxing with a book in front of the impressive river rock fireplace under the watchful gaze of trophy Caribou, Moose, Cougar, and numerous mounted birds.
But that’s just for starters! The seemingly endless activity list has several ‘Ranchy’ temptations, suitable for all ages, from private artisan cheese making courses in the main Ranch house, to hands-on challenges like milking Princess Alexandra, or ‘Lexi’ the Jersey dairy cow twice daily, or bottle feeding baby calves, to something as simple as collecting chicken eggs. Kids especially seem to really love these farm animal-focused events.
And of course, there are the typical seasonal outdoorsy pursuits ranging from horseback riding to snowmobiling, axe-throwing accuracy competitions, wrapped up every second evening with a camaraderie-building evening sing-alongs around a crackling campfire.
The History And Attractions Of Montana Hills Guest Ranch
