Olivia Singer’s weeks-long trip through the American West began at Lone Mountain Ranch in Montana, where she traded London’s pace for horseback rides, open landscapes and evenings on a porch. The journey continued through Yellowstone and Wyoming, ending at an isolated ranch camp without phone service or electricity. Singer says the time away from work and screens helped her feel calmer and more connected to the land and the people around her.
At Lone Mountain Ranch, established in 1915, guests can take trail rides, attend a weekly rodeo, try archery and go fly-fishing. Singer describes a stay that paired those activities with comfortable cabins and meals featuring bison and elk. The ranch also arranged guided visits to Yellowstone National Park, where a Montana-born guide explained the park’s geothermal features, wildlife and landscape.
The travelers returned to Yellowstone for a second visit, despite getting a flat tire shortly before reaching the park and having to spend hours dealing with the rental car. They arrived at the Grand Prismatic Spring at sunset and stayed until dark to watch Old Faithful erupt. The experience left Singer captivated by the park’s natural scenery.
The trip also included a stay at Chico Hot Springs, rafting on the Gallatin River, a visit to Cody, Wyoming, and an evening at the Cody rodeo. Along the way, Singer and her companion spoke with locals, visited museums and thrift stores, and stayed at a llama farm in Pinedale. With intermittent phone service and plenty of new activities, Singer found herself going weeks without being asked about her job.
Their final stop was Paintrock Canyon Ranch near Hyattville, Wyoming, where they spent a week camping on an 80,000-acre property with no phone signal or electricity. The camp offered horseback riding, communal meals and ranch-skills sessions in roping and leatherwork. Singer says the group of guests soon formed a close-knit community, spending evenings talking around the fire and afternoons at a swimming hole.
The ranch is part of Ranchlands, founded by Duke Phillips III. Singer learned about its approach to cattle breeding and regenerative grazing, as well as an apprenticeship program that trains young people in areas including hospitality, management, marketing and conservation. For Singer, the trip’s appeal came down to the chance to spend time outdoors, without the usual digital distractions, and simply catch her breath.
Sources: Vogue.