If You Thought Dude Ranching Days Were Over....

Montana's original wants to set you straight.

- JANA BOMMERSBACH

It's a fair guess that "the man who put 'dude' in Iman pleased.

Although he's long gone, Montana's original dude ranch he and his wife founded in 1898 is once again alive and presenting that Western wilderness lifestyle to city slickers.

The O.T.O Ranch, which closed in 1939, became a "pop-up dude ranch" in 2022, welcoming guests for the first time in 82 years. And this year, it repeated the offer, thanks to a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service, which now owns the ranch just north of Yellowstone National Park.