The Green O: Mother Nature’s Posh Playground

Guests can stay in this Tree Haus at the Green O in Montana. Pam LeBlanc photo

In my world, a summer trip to the mountains usually means sleeping in a tent and eating freeze-dried pasta.

Last month I traded that down-and-dirty style of travel for a much more luxurious experience. I spent four days at the Green O, the newest corner of the already posh Resort at Paws Up near Missoula, Montana. A driver picked me up at the airport and delivered me to the 37,000-acre property, where someone walked me to a structure straight out of Architectural Digest and said, “Welcome home.”

And what a home.

Pam LeBlanc hangs out in a swinging chair on the deck of her rental house at the Green O in Montana. Pam LeBlanc photo

The Green O features a dozen romantic hideaways, some of them elevated high above the ground and others – like the one I stayed in – with so many windows that the indoors felt like the outdoors. I felt like I’d landed at a very exclusive summer camp for adults, one where the “cabins” all had hot tubs, cushy beds, and a complimentary rhubarb and a chamomile ice cream sandwich tucked in the freezer, the dining hall served nine-course meals that looked like art, and a fishing guide untangled every line that got wrapped around a rock or bush.

It also ranked as the most expensive place I’ve ever stayed, although I didn’t foot the bill for this visit. Rates are about $3,500 per night, including three (extremely good) squares a day, beverages included, plus airport transfers. Some activities are an additional fee.

Guests at the Green O take meals at the Social Haus. Pam LeBlanc photo

What to know about the Green O

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Here are 12 things to know about the Green O before you go.

1. It’s adults only. This section of Paws Up is reserved for fully grown kids. You won’t hear any children hollering or bump into any half pints scurrying through the underbrush, but you will find couples sipping wine on the deck of the Social Haus, where meals are served and guests check in. (If you want to bring the kids, consider the main part of Paws Up, which offers all kinds of activities just for them.)
2. The food at the Green O is incredible. And by incredible, I mean the best you’ve ever eaten. During my stay, I ate everything from pork belly seared on hot river rocks to caviar, pheasant breast, venison and the most beautiful, tiny vegetables tucked in a “soil” made of crushed hazelnuts, chicory, and roasted onion ash. I felt like I was eating my way through the Louvre, nine paintings at a time. For those who don’t feel like making the 2-minute walk to the Social Haus for meals, the kitchen will deliver. I did this for breakfast, and the hot tea and pastries (a selection of savory and sweet each morning) were exquisite.
3. Did I mention that everyone gets his or her own Lexus? It’s true. You can drive that Lexus anywhere on the Paws Up property – and there’s a lot to explore. But if you’d rather hitch a ride, a staff driver will pick you up and take you anywhere you want to go.

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A guests practices herding cattle at the Resort at Paws Up in Montana. Pam LeBlanc phot

4. You can go on a cattle drive. Two guides spent about an hour teaching our crew of three how to keep a small herd of Corriente cattle in a bunch and guide them from one pasture to the river a few miles away. It wasn’t easy – and the trail bosses didn’t hold back when any of us cowhands underperformed. Come prepared to work. But if you love riding, beautiful countryside, and keeping track of mooing little steaks on the hoof, give it a try.

Guests at the Resort at Paws Up fly fish on the Clearwater River in Montana. Photo by Pam LeBlanc

5. The book “A River Runs Through It” was set along the Blackfoot River, which runs through the Paws Up property. I spent a morning fishing the nearby Clearwater River, which was equally beautiful, with cold – and yes, gin-clear – water that winds through open meadows and forests of thick trees. Besides learning the finer points of casting from a motorized raft, I loved the nature watching. We saw bald eagles and Canadian geese and interrupted a muskrat’s morning foraging. The fishing was great, too. I caught two fat, 16-inch brown trout. (Plus, my limit in sticks.) Fishing is catch and release.

Hanna Campbell takes in the view from Lookout Rock at Paws Up. Pam LeBlanc photo

6. If hiking’s your thing, step out of your deluxe accommodations and onto a trail. I spent a morning just walking and listening to the sounds of nature and didn’t see another soul. (They must have been out driving their Lexuses). Follow marked trail signs into the woods, or just stick to dirt roads and explore the other accommodations. You can go for miles.

7. In the main part of Paws Up, guests can stay in log homes or semi-permanent safari tents with real bathrooms. At the Green O, they can pick from four styles of homes – a modern Tree Haus, a curvy Round Haus, the Light Haus, or the Green Haus where I stayed. Everything is high-tech and sleekly modern yet blends into the woodsy surroundings. Press a button to lower all the blinds in your house, flip a switch to light a fire in the fireplace, soak in an indoor bathtub big enough to hold a pony, or swing in a globe-shaped chair hanging on the deck.

8. Every night, I soaked in the hot tub on the deck of my home. (I may or may not have been naked.) Each unit comes with an outdoor tub, and it’s always heated and ready to go. It’s the best way to cap off the evening. Or start the day.

Pam LeBlanc takes aim at sporting clays at Paws Up in Montana. Photo by Greg Jason

9. I signed up for a morning of shooting at sporting clays. Think of this as golf, only with shotguns instead of clubs. A guide walked me through the 10-station course, where he pulled a lever that launched neon-orange clay targets into the air. Each one came from a different angle – crossways, away from me, or in a perfect arc – and each one simulated the flight pattern of a game bird. At one station, you’ll stand on an elevated perch to take aim; at another you’ll get a perfect view of snow-capped mountains. It took many tries, but I finally shattered three of the clays, and to me that’s way better than hitting a real animal.

Hanna Campbell rides an ATV on a trail at Paws Up in Montana. Pam LeBlanc photo

10. Get the lay of the land by zipping around on an ATV. We buzzed past a herd of bison on our way to the Lookout Rock, where legend has it the Meriwether Lewis once stood.

11. If you need more to do, head to the Outpost. Visitors can sign up for everything from a bike tour of a historic ghost town to a hot-air balloon ride, a pontoon boat tour on a nearby lake, kayaking, rappelling, and more.

12. Check out the music lineup at the campfire, where nightly performances take place all summer long. An Austin-based singer-songwriter duo called Beth//James is scheduled to perform their blend of modern folk, pop, and Americana from July 19 until Aug. 1.

A bald eagle perches on a tree at the Resort at Paws Up in Montana. Photo by Pam LeBlanc