The Green O – Montana: A Hidden Autumn Retreat in the Blackfoot Valley

Where elk bugles echo through golden forests and just twelve glass houses await

For a few fleeting weeks each autumn, Montana delivers one of the rarest spectacles in North America. Golden aspens and larches light up the mountainsides while bull elk bugle across meadows in haunting chorus. At the same time, ranchers move herds into winter pasture — and a handful of guests are invited to saddle up and join them in a true cattle drive. Because access is so limited, stays must be secured at least a year in advance.

The Green O is the adults-only enclave within The Resort at Paws Up, a 37,000-acre working cattle ranch in Montana’s Blackfoot Valley. While Paws Up welcomes families with its glamping tents and luxury homes, The Green O is set apart — just twelve forest-secluded glass houses reserved exclusively for adults. Guests wake to floor-to-ceiling views of autumn woods, soak in private tubs by firelight, and dine at Social Haus, where tasting menus rival Michelin kitchens.

Fall programming includes dawn wildlife drives to witness the elk rut, hands-on cooking classes in Dutch oven techniques and game preparation, and private fireside feasts under one of America’s darkest skies. Guests at The Green O can also tap into the full breadth of ranch activities at Paws Up, from horseback riding to authentic cattle drives, but return each evening to the serenity of an enclave designed for privacy and intimacy.

The Green O operates on an all-inclusive model, with meals, non-alcoholic beverages, transfers, and select activities included. Premium experiences like the cattle drive are highly limited and must be reserved far in advance. Built with sustainability in mind, the hauses were sited to preserve the surrounding forest, staff use shuttle transport to reduce emissions, and menus showcase Montana’s local and seasonal bounty.