The Most Beautiful Campsite – Browns Canyon, Montana

At the end of a particularly stressful semester in 2007 Lindsay and I decided to take a trip up to “Gods country” (Montana) to unwind. A few months earlier we had just adopted our Pit Bull Sundance and were anxious to see her explore the great outdoors. My family owns some property in Southwest Montana in a beautiful valley called Horse Prairie. On this property is a beautiful old hunting cabin right at the mouth of Browns Canyon. Once you get over the initial scare factor of being this far in the middle of nowhere the cabin is actually an incredible place to stay. After a few nights we decided to load up the 4-wheelers and head up into the mountains for a night of camping. I had done this years earlier when I was 18 as sort of a “right of passage.” I loaded up two horses, a shotgun, tent and ramen noodles and road off into the Montana mountains to spend the night alone. It was years later and I was excited to have a similar experience with my own little family (wife and dog). The road up to the ridge above Browns Canyon is steep but the 4-wheelers did fine (Sundance had a hard time running behind us though). We eventually made our way on top of the ridge just as the late afternoon sun was hitting the valley below…the scene was spectacular. We passed through a gate and I was instantly struck with nostalgia. In front of me was the old Forest Service barbed wire fence that I grew up checking as a young man. Every summer I would load up a 4-wheeler and would ride this treacherous fence through the mountains fixing the breaks caused by elk and the cold winters. We sat there for a few moments while I relived some of the best memories I have ever had. We then continued on for just a few minutes before settling on a beautiful campsite. There was a small open patch of sagebrush and grass amongst the beautiful pine trees. It was right at the top of the ridge and you could see the entire Horse Prairie Valley below and all the way across Browns canyon. We picked a spot right underneath and old tree and set up camp. Sundance being a street dog she spent the first hour watching very nervously and guarding the camp. We made a small fire and laughed at the expired ramen noodles we were trying to eat. Just as the evening sun was setting over the valley we decided to take an evening stroll. I will never forget walking in the high meadows of the Montana wilderness watching the sun set over the valleys and canyons of Southwest Montana. This area was my home (I spent every summer there from age 14 on) and it felt so good to be back. After a beautiful evening stroll we settled down for the night. Even though we had a shotgun it was a little nerve racking to be this alone (there was literally no one around for MILES). However, we quickly fell asleep and had a peaceful night (although I did wake up to the sound of a women screaming…still not sure if I dreamed this…yikes). The next morning was beautiful. We opened the tent door and laid in our sleeping bags watching the valley below us wake up for another beautiful day. This was hands down the best camping trip we have every had and I hope we can do it again some day.