The image of Montana is generally one of rugged mountains, tumbling rivers, big trout, grizzly bears, and all the attendant wonders that Big Sky country has to offer. This is a rough-and-tumble state, with a robust reputation, but there are a few places where this magnificent environment can be viewed from a destination that rivals many classic European hotels and dining experiences.

Such a place is Triple Creek Ranch. A member of Relais & Châteaux, this incongruous oasis of pampered comfort lies in some of the most staggeringly beautiful country Montana has to offer. On the western border of Montana, perched on the side of Trapper Mountain, Triple Creek Ranch is an opus to fine living from which guests can sally forth to experience all that is Montana, from the world’s best trout fishing to a cattle drive. At the same time they can spend the evening sampling the finest wines and dining on cuisine that rivals the best restaurants of Europe.

Triple Creek is an adult resort that caters to adult tastes. The lodge is a magnificent log structure on 600 acres, high above the valley. Guests stay in individual cabins that are really rustic suites with fireplaces, hot tubs, decks, and interior amenities that rival great hotels. Within the main lodge is an award-winning wine cellar, a state-of-the-art showroom, and a Wine Spectator 2005 and 2006 Award of Excellence. The beautiful glass-encased room, finished with handcrafted South American mahogany racks, greets guests as they enter the rooftop lounge. With a capacity of 3,000 bottles, the cellar is home to mature Bordeaux and classic vintages, as well as house wines, all stored at an ideal temperature of 55 degrees. Special vintner weekends are available where wine lovers are treated to seminars and tastings from specific vineyards. It’s not a bad way to end the day after a cattle drive or a float trip down the Bitterroot River. If being pampered is necessary, a massage in front of your fireplace is easily accomplished.

The Bitterroot River, a freestone river with its headwaters at the upper end of the Bitterroot Valley, just west of the Continental Divide, flows north through the valley into the Clark Fork of the Columbia River, west of Missoula. It is about ninety-eight miles long including the east and west forks and offers blue-ribbon fishing for trout including rainbow, brown, and the beautiful westslope cutthroat. There have not been any fish introduced into the Bitterroot since the 1940s and all fish caught are wild. That in itself is worth the trip.

Triple Creek is extraordinary to say the least. Very rarely does one find such a blend of culture and wilderness so perfectly tied together. It is the best of both worlds and a compromise to neither.