McDonald family homesteaded this basin in the 1800's on their way to visit Yellowstone Park. They bought the other homesteaders out, living in seclusion working hard, cutting lumber from the forests, clearing fields for hay, working cattle, filling their bellies with local elk, deer, moose, wild strawberries, and even kept ice in a little mini log ice house on the side of the mountain.
They had a keen eye to keep safe from the numerous grizzly bears and many a story to tell of that. Great Grandma McDonald still holds the record for harvest of Montana's largest grizzly when this griz decided to see what was in the storeroom while Great Grpa was in town getting supplies.
Our kid's grpa, Jack McDonald worked for the national park service for 43 years, while enjoying raising his family on the ranch, along with many pet moose.
Riding horses and hunting indian arrowheads and special rocks was a favorite hobby of the family.
We are now the 5th generation McDonald family preserving the original homestead cabins, sharing the beauty. We spend the summers competing in rodeos with our 3 kids all over Montana and checking in on our guests and ranch animals. Winters are spent sledding, snowmobiling, skiing, roping inside the indoor arena, basketball, football parties & keeping warm by the fireplace.