Camping and luxury are usually mutually exclusive. It's difficult to reconcile ambiguous canned meals and frigid sleeping bags with five-star white linen dinners and heavenly duvet covers. Not too long ago, however, the term "glamping" emerged in elite travel circles, which describes a dichotomous and divine way to enjoy the great outdoors with luxurious amenities. One resort that is part of the glamping movement is The Resort at Paws Up, self-described as "the last best place on Earth." I concur completely.
In addition to its collection of spacious cabins, Paws Up has five luxury campgrounds, each with a butler, full kitchen and outdoor living room. The new Cliffside Camp is the most luxurious campground yet. Perched atop rugged grey stones, it overlooks the confluence of Blackfoot River and Elk Creek. The glistening clear waterways (I'm sure you could drink from them) carve along the sides of pine forests where deer and elk dash in and out. One glance across the stunning water and forest confirms why Paw's Up claims it pioneered the "American Safari." Access to nature and its depth of life (as offered at Cliffside Camp), is special and worth the journey.
My one-bedroom tent, sprawling 605 square feet, included a massive claw-foot copper soaking tub for two, heated bathroom floors, and a deck with postcard-perfect views. The bed was particularly un-campy. Plump and oversized with cozy layers of cotton, these beds have been dubbed "The Last Best Bed[s]," and they surely may be. My bed was a joyous retreat after a day of horseback riding during a Cattle Drive, one of the resort’s signature and not-to-be missed ranch activities.
A small stroll away from each tent, the Cliffside main dining and living areas await. Our perky Camp Butler, an attendant devoted to my continual bliss in the great outdoors, built an impressive fireplace every evening, which was accompanied with fixings for s’mores after dinner. Also every evening, our resident chef unfurled a three-course meal on par with the best of farm-to-table Michelin star spots in Manhattan. Local food sourcing isn't a luxury here, as the resort is nearby dozens of organic farms boasting grass-fed beef herds and pristine land.
As Executive Chef Ben Jones explains, "Indulging in and exploring your passion for food and beverage is an important part of every visit to Paws Up. You will be within a community of great chefs, pit masters, smokologists, mushroom foragers, vintners, local distillers, pie whisperers and organic co-op farmers."
Unsurprising, many of Paws Up's event offerings surround culinary exploration. Montana Master Grillers, a May weekend "dedicated to the art of gourmet grilling," features a curated list of noted chefs who specialize in BBQ cooking and grilling. Paired alongside these pit masters are whiskey and bourbon experts, winemakers and smokologists. Paws Up also offers a handful of pie workshops during the year led by Kate McDermott, the original "Pie Whisperer" who coaxes pies into perfect golden crust hues.
I’ll be returning for the Montana Long Table, a special event that occurs three times a year in the summer for resort guests. Local ranchers, farmers, and culinary artisans sit with guests outdoors at one table that spans a quarter of a mile. The 37,000-acre Montana ranch remains one of my all time favorite properties, and this recent visit confirmed my appreciation for Paws Up's art of glamping.
