The green o is Montana’s answer to the latest travel trend: luxury-minded adventure escapes. A place that strikes the right balance of indulgence and adventure, and includes culinary experiences and tasting menus worth traveling for. Follow me to the green o, and read about the newest adults-only luxury retreat in the Montana wilderness.
“Are you sure the Sunset Trail goes through this field?” I ask my husband, warily.
“Trust me”, he replies, unhinging the creaky, metal gate, and ignoring the wooden sign marked: “DO NOT ENTER.” I bite my tongue, then follow.
We’ve been at the green o, Montana’s newest luxury adventure property, for all of two hours. My ‘adventure mindset’ is not yet fully formed. But here I am mountain biking toward a herd of hairy bison. Blind faith semi-firmly placed in my husband’s overly confident orienteering abilities.
Does anyone see the bright red flags waving in the distance? Unfortunately, I don’t.
Survival Skills at the green o, Montana
Daniel speeds past the bison with the grace of Chris Froome in the early stages of the Tour de France. I bumble along, struggling to find my balance. My shoes are too tight and my seat is too high. I can’t quite figure out the gears. I’m already parched.
I stop to take a photo—a thin disguise to catch my breath.
The bison look at me. One snorts loudly, breaking the silence of the pasture. Others chime in. Their collective snorting sounds threatening. They shake their massive wooly heads in utter disbelief, unleashing a flurry of flies.
“City folk”, they must be musing in their pea-sized brains, “Should we give them a free pass just this once?”
I feel judged. And rightly so. Daniel is miles ahead. I’m within 10 feet of these massive beasts and suddenly feel like a mid-morning snack. Daniel contends bison eat grass, not humans. But don’t grizzlies eat fish? Daniel has no comment, naturally.
Take deep breaths, I tell myself. Then channel my inner Soul Cycle warrior and power past them.
Spoiler alert, I survive.
The green o: Fields of Gold and Silver Linings
If the pasture where the Sunset Trail may or may not have cut through was any less captivating, I would have put down my size six sneaker in toddler-like defiance. But I see butter-yellow grasses glow against distant mountains. The bison, while terrifying, dot the field in wispy, chocolate-brown brush strokes.
The scene has all the makings of the 20th-century realist paintings I studied in Art History. A canvas imbued with the mysteriousness of Americana. Fields of gold and weathered farmhouses. An extraordinary sight for my city-centric eyes, and one of many Wyeth-inspired moments I discover at the green o.
So yes, I live to tell the tale. In the way of silver linings, I have more than a few bison portraits to show for it. And no permanent scars. Risk, meet reward.
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Welcome to The Green O
The green o (intentionally lowercase to exude an approachable, casual vibe) is an adults-only property located in the Blackfoot River Valley, in Greenough, Montana. It has 12-stand alone accommodations, each called a ‘haus’. If you are any good at math, you will quickly calculate that the green o has a max capacity of 24 guests.
Each haus accommodation at the green o is made from stunning combinations of wood, glass, and other stylized design elements. The hauses are scattered so haphazardly throughout the pine-laden property that they may well have sprung up from the earth itself. The green o refers to the hauses as romantic ‘glamping’ accommodations. But with eco-kitchens, outdoor hot tubs, and wood-burning fireplaces, they go well beyond any glamorous camping I’ve experienced.
The green o vs Paws Up
Hundreds of pines stand at attention in this small gated enclave on the southern edge of Paws Up near the scenic Blackfoot River. Paws Up Ranch is the sister property of the green o—a family-friendly resort established in 1915 by Paul Greenough. His property encompasses a whopping 37,000 acres of land. Well played, Paul.
Back in the early 1900s, Mr. Greenough, for whom the town and ranch are named, painted his flock of sheep with a large green “O”. A simple mark that was certainly ahead of its time from a corporate branding perspective. Does Oprah know about this? Hence the name of this Montana woodland escape—the green o. A tribute to the founder, rancher, and all-around man about town. Literally.
The relationship between the family-friendly Paws Up and the adults-only green o is decidedly one-sided. Guests of the green o are welcome to use any facilities at Paws Up. But guests of Paws Up are unable to access the restaurant’s tasting menu and common spaces of the green o. This lop-sided relationship adds an air of exclusivity for the 24 oh-so-lucky green o guests.
Finding Gold at the green o
While green is undoubtedly the signature color of the property, I can say without fear of my kids’ ridicule, that I found gold. Well, perhaps some fear. That does sound kind of corny.
I’ll attempt to exhaust the limits of the metaphor. Yellow tamaracks burst brightly from a forest of otherwise green firs, creating a ripple of gold. They shed their short needles so that the paths around the property appear to be paved in gold. A large, gooey golden honeycomb sits atop the bar in the main restaurant ready to be drizzled on my morning granola. Metaphor officially exhausted.
Earning Dinner at the green o
Luxury adventure retreats are popping up around the country at lightning speed. The appeal is clear. Travelers are looking for places that provide interesting combinations of active excursions, indulgence, and unique culinary experiences.
Hotel trends show heightened popularity in places where guests feel they have ‘earned’ that Michelin-worthy meal, multi-course tasting menu, and one-of-a-kind styled lodgings. Or, maybe that’s just me?
‘Earned’ could mean climbing a mountain. Or, taking on the green o’s mile-long Grizzlyman Trail. In our case, earned means outrunning simple-minded wild beasts. It’s a reward to mark a day we pushed beyond our comfort zones.
The green o takes it further by adding on unusual experiences, like an ATV ride to a remote ghost town or fly fishing in the Blackfoot River. A day-long Frontiersman Ride on horseback or participating in an authentic cattle drive. It’s all too easy to see the allure of adventure-inspired trips. Especially ones in remote wilderness locales like Montana.
At the Green O, It’s all about me us you
My husband and I come to the green o to create adventures based on our vacation style. Our trip doesn’t look like anyone else’s. I mean that literally and factually. Since our return, I’ve been stalking the green o and its guest posts on Instagram. Not one reel, story, or little square tile replicates our trip. Yet, they all look equally spectacular.
This is the beauty of the green o—that we can interpret the activities and offerings to reflect our own personal brand of adventure. Like on our first bike ride when Daniel chose to interpret the ‘DO NOT ENTER’ sign differently than me. Needless to say, we decide upon a few other activities with slimmer chances of being trampled to death.
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Choose our own adventure
Montana is a new state for both of us. We’d like to get up close and personal with the natural beauty for which it’s so well known. We opt for a six-mile hike through the ominously named Lubrecht Experimental Forest, which we access from a path behind our Tree Haus. I dismiss the irrational fear of being abducted and experimented on by a mad scientist named Lubrecht.
But trails named Grizzlyman, Hunter’s Point, and Anaconda are surely trying to shake my confidence level, which is medium at best. Dictated in part by past hiking adventures gone awry (Exhibit A: Wyoming) and (Exhibit B: England).
Thankfully mountain lions hadn’t been spotted recently around the green o. We are told that the bears are probably hibernating by now. That’s mildly reassuring, I think.
On another day we take a 12-mile bike ride through everchanging scenic terrain. Over burbling streams, and through grassy pastures with snow-covered mountains in the distance. We head up to a rocky lookout and admire the Blackfoot River below. It’s one of my favorite ways to spend a day.
I get to burn hundreds of calories in order to ‘earn’ the Wagyu smash burger waiting for me at the Social Haus. All the while admiring stellar views.
Our haus, in the middle of the trees
The green o has four different haus accommodation types: the Round Haus, the Tree Haus, the Light Haus, and the Green Haus. All are within striking distance of the Social Haus—the green o’s main (and only) restaurant, which has a different tasting menu each evening.
I have my heart firmly set on the Tree Haus. The idea of sleeping among the stars in the wilderness must have awakened some part of my inner child. (My parents are surely wondering whose inner child I am referring to.) I hated camping as a kid and still do.
Maybe I was just waiting for the right kind of Tree Haus? Sleeping 23 feet in the air and seeing the stars blinking brightly between the tall pine silhouettes is ethereal. Even if it is from the second floor of our glass-enclosed heated Tree Haus.
And, even if the bedsheets are so insanely cushy and cozy that we buy them the moment we arrive home. And that we can order on-demand wood-fired pizzas to that very same bed. This is my kind of camping.
Views Win at the green o
The design of our Tree Haus is inspired. A small glass entryway pops from the ground like a submarine’s periscope and invites us to shed our boots and coats. A floating spiral staircase snakes upwards toward the first-floor landing.
The drama is worth the climb—360-degree views of pine forests from floor-to-ceiling windows.
I stop to take in the space and first notice the modern wood-burning stove neatly tucked in the corner. There is an oversized chair beside it, and I make a mental note to curl up in it with my new Amor Towles novel as soon as possible.
In the freezer, I discover two homemade ice cream sandwiches just waiting for the midnight munchies to surface.
Pine-filled views trump all, which is likely why the green o gave us so many places to admire them. A hanging outdoor chair sways in the breeze on the wraparound outdoor deck. The bedroom balcony is the ideal spot to spy deer traversing the landscape. Even the view from the bathtub windows maximizes the woodland panorama.
The only other place for guests to mingle indoors at the green o is the Social Haus. That is perfectly fine with me, as the only thing that will get me to leave a fabulous room is a fabulous meal.
Getting Social
I’m not a ‘save the best for last’ type of person. I like the best first. So why am I writing about our culinary experience at the green o last?
The answer is simple but wordy.
If the green o had no hikes, no bikes, and no ATVs. No Tree Hauses, Round Hauses, or Green Hauses. If the woodlands were devoid of mountain lions, deer, and hibernating bears. If there were no golden tamaracks, golden pastures, or golden paths of golden needles. I would still go to the green o—for the food.
I am a self-appointed foodie and travel for food the way others travel for a Broadway show or a music festival. I expect the food at the green o to be spectacular. Incredibly, I get much more than I expect.
Every meal at the green o is included in the price of the room. Craft cocktails and (most) wines are included as well. The culinary talents of Chef Brandon Cunningham are almost impossible for me to describe. But I will try.
3 dinners x 7 courses = 21 courses
The highlight of each evening, without a doubt, is the inventive 7-course tasting menu prepared by Chef Brandon and his faithful team. Seven unique courses each night for our three nights without a single course overlapping. Factor in that every other guest will also not overlap a course during their stay and you can see why this is a Mensa puzzle I’ll never solve.
The Social Haus has a convivial bar where guests can have dinner while watching the chef and his team create culinary magic. I order the Greenough Gimlet, with local Spotted Bear Gin, yuzu, and rosemary.
Daniel has Sudden Smoke, which requires the bartender to light a piece of wood on fire then place the glass upside down to absorb the smoke. It is just this kind of attention to alcoholic detail that makes the cocktail experience another green o adventure.
A dark green leather banquette semi-circles around a large glass-enclosed fire. Daniel and I sit facing it, as do all the guests, which creates an informal dinner party ambiance. Conversation flows, as do healthy pours of wine.
Seeing is believing, at the green o
The execution of Chef Brandon’s culinary creations is better seen than told. And better eaten than seen. One artfully designed course follows another. Like his version of Chinese take-out, complete with the ubiquitous cardboard box and chopsticks. Or, a modernized ham and cheese sandwich.
Meals are prepared with absolute intention and often with the help of tweezers. No detail is overlooked, whether that be the leanest slice of hamachi, the flourish of a matsutake mushroom, or a flowering spiral of avocado upon sourdough toast.
Each night I swear I couldn’t possibly handle another seven courses. But I do. I only wish I could stay longer. If for no other reason than to see if Chef Brandon ever slips up and serves the same course twice.
Lunches and breakfasts are as inventive and mouth-watering. Fried chicken and waffles with golden raisin chutney and coconut syrup; chamomile yogurt panna cotta with fresh berries, honeycomb, and pistachio; and the famous Wagyu smash burger. With its secret sauce, griddled onions, and pepper jack cheese, Daniel says it is the best burger he’s had. Ever.
Add in service with a Midas touch (notice how I continue to flog the metaphor?) and it’s obvious why the food experience at the green o is another star among stars.
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Your green o
What will your green o experience look like? Will you opt for a spa treatment or a leisurely hike? An ATV ride or a horseback ride? Mountain biking or fly fishing? Perhaps a long hot bath followed by a fire and a good book? The combinations are as high-adrenaline or as low-key as you’d like.
It’s worth mentioning a few other perks included in the room rate, which may seem high—until you have your first tasting menu Then you will realize that you are winning, as every single meal is included and is better than the last. Guests are welcome to dine at the restaurant at Paws Up, which I’m sure is lovely, but don’t. There is no reason to leave the Social Haus. Trust me.
The green o includes transportation to and from the airport in a hybrid Lexus. That same Lexus (or one from the on-site fleet) is at our disposal should we want to go off-property. Lastly, we are given a $500 voucher that we can use towards anything not included in the room rate. We used ours for a special bottle from the reserve wine list and a massage.
Gold abounds at the green o, no matter where you look, and no matter what season. I found gold everywhere, but none more noticeably than in the service, the food, and the bucolic setting. The only thing missing from our trip to the green o was more time.
It’s a sign
On our last afternoon, we drive along the road where we started our first bike ride. Just past the spot where the Sunset Trail may or may not have been. About 50 yards away we see a different sign, this one is a tad more informative: ‘DO NOT ENTER ENCLOSURE. THESE ANIMALS ARE DANGEROUS’.
I don’t gloat. But I want to.
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If you ever want to get in touch, ask a question, or discuss a way to partner, please email me at [email protected].
Jamie, what a wonderful and beautiful adventure. And, as always it is a delight to read what you’ve written. I felt transported to Montana both by picture and verse.
Thank you, Nancy! I so appreciate the thoughtful words! -Jamie
AMAZING! Adding the Green O to my (long) list!
Put it at the top Amy. You’ll thank me later! : ) -Jamie
Hey, Jamie! I’ve been looking for another retreat getaway after a whole year of no vacations. This seems like the right mix of being one with nature while indulging in luxurious comfort. One question though, is the place child-friendly? Thanks for sharing this!
No children at the green o, but look into Paws Up Ranch next door. A wonderful family getaway with so much to do. -Jamie
Thank you so much for this fabulous overview of the green o! We can’t wait to see you again soon!
Fingers crossed! Thank you, Alison! -Jamie
Incredible! Green O presents an utterly dreamy and modern oasis for your Montana getaway. Couples planning an elopement in Montana will be absolutely delighted with the charm and elegance of staying at Green O – it’s a true gem for a romantic retreat!
Thank you, Tami, for the thoughtful comment. If I were to get married again, the green o is exactly where I’d do it! -Jamie