Cowboy fantasies on a ranch in Montana Tom treats his wranglers, ponies and guests with the same kindly but firm hand - the skills involved in calming a spooked pony or a fearful visitor seem remarkably similar. It's a long way from City Slickers, the film where rough-riding cowboys went to great lengths to prove to townies how soft and puny they really were. But neither are the ranch hands waiters in cowboy boots - these are people who know an awful lot about rodeo, fishing, shooting and the history of where they live, and are itching to share. On my first attempt at fly fishing, I managed to catch a fine cutthroat trout, which says a lot more for the skills of Alex the fisherman than for mine. At the shooting range, Max coaxed my daughter from being gun-shy to shattering eight clay targets in a row with a .410 then hitting bullseyes with a Smith & Wesson revolver. Just like Annie Oakley. We rode past an old log cabin by an abandoned mine, the last vestiges of another family's efforts to scratch a living here a hundred years ago. It's hard to know what those early pioneers would have made of the ranch's well-appointed spa, the swimming pool or the "Mercantile," full of upmarket clothes where my daughter bought her cowboy boots (we got the working version rather than the $3,000 snakeskins - Primark it isn't). The pioneers would have recognised most of the ingredients in chef Josh Drage's cooking - he spends a couple of days a week on the long Montana dirt roads, buying fresh meat and vegetables from the farms farther down the valleys. You imagine they'd appreciate a wrangler's laconic answer as to whether The Ranch has a gym; "Nope, but we got plenty of firewood needs splitting." They'd like Jim Manley's Silver Dollar Saloon, too. With saddles for bar stools and real silver dollars in the bar top, serving local whiskey and microbrewery beers such as Moose Drool and Cold Smoke, evenings at The Ranch can be as wild as the West ever was. The cowboy film 3:10 to Yuma on the big screen, Nascar racing and American football on various televisions, my unforgettable rendition of Purple Rain on the hi-tech karaoke system, simultaneous games of darts, shuffleboard and ping pong and the owner demonstrating his life-threatening swan-dive technique in the four-lane bowling alley... all heaven for me, but my daughter (before being tucked up in bed) insisted the next evening was spent toasting marshmallows round a campfire. After a long day on horseback, I readily agreed. The ranch house is new but feels just like a home built of logs ought to. Downstairs there are crackling log fires, leather-covered sofas, guns and animal skins on the walls, baskets of home-made cookies and books about pioneers. Everyone has their own mountain bike for their stay with the name of their room hung on it, and you're invited to borrow hats, coats and cowboy boots whenever you need them. Someone's paid attention to almost every detail, from fresh flowers next to the swing seat to "Howdy" made of horseshoes over the back door. There are other places to stay on the property that offer fewer people and more of the silent outdoors. Along the river are frontier-style canvas cabins, with underfloor heating in the stone-built bathroom, furs on the bed and the soothing soundtrack of the creek outside. There are a couple of secluded family-sized ranch houses, and for real isolation there's Trapper Cabin, which comes with its own Jeep to get you to breakfast. Around the corral some of the original farm buildings have been turned into idiosyncratic rooms - the Bunkhouse is exactly that, with six bunk beds, while the Loft has an antique bath under an enormous chandelier. Gingham curtains, walls of local pine and old frontier photographs, the style stays the right side of pastiche - comfortable and appropriate without becoming kitsch. Standing on the porch, coffee in hand, looking across the early mist on the river to mountains touched gold by the sun, the sheer beauty of Montana that struck Lewis and Clark stays with you. And somehow Rock Creek makes you feel as if you belong there. My daughter swears she will be back. As soon as she's old enough she's going to join Big Tom as an apprentice cowgirl. A Montana "yogo" sapphire is the only North American gem in the Crown Jewels. British Airways (0844 493 0787; ba.com) has flights into Denver from £458, with connections to Missoula or Butte with United Airlines (0845 844 4777; unitedairlines.com). Arrange a pickup with The Ranch. Alternatively, rent a car from £40 a day with Enterprise (enterprise.co.uk). Gene Kilgore's website, ranchweb.com, details many ranches, farm stays and b &bs in Montana, including sleep-in-the-dirt cattle drives. Even in remote Montana, ranches can get full of families in the summer holidays - after Labor Day is quieter. For the luxury wilderness experience, book the Trapper Cabin by Rock Creek (it comes with a Jeep to get you to breakfast). Ask your guide to take you hiking to the abandoned mine for a look at how mountain men and women lived a century ago. Western-style riding lessons before you go will make your first long ride more fun. But don't worry - you can also just relax, sit back and let the horse do the work. Go on a ghost-town tour of abandoned mining communities - spooky, and you'll probably find some sapphires. The Inn at Philipsburg £ Within walking distance of historic Philipsburg but on the edge of the wilderness, a clean and basic motel (001 406 859 3959; theinn-philipsburg.com; from around £32 per night). Covered Wagon ££ A smaller ranch more dedicated to riding, with original Twenties log cabins (800 995 4237; coveredwagonranch.com; from around £151 per night). The Ranch at Rock Creek £££ One of the more expensive ranches in Montana, but the price includes the best accommodation, food, drinks and plenty of activities (877 786 1545; theranchatrockcreek.com; doubles from £1,268 per night or £635 per person to include all meals, drinks and two on-site ranch activities). Sunshine Station £ A family-friendly place on the edge of Philipsburg which claims to be "where the locals eat" (3830 Highway 1, Philipsburg; 406 859 3450). Doe Brothers ££ An "old-fashioned soda fountain" which opened in 1887 and is now being restored by its new owners. Classic steaks in a classic American setting (120 East Broadway, Philipsburg; 406 859 6676). Rock Creek £££ Josh Drage's outstanding cooking uses fresh local ingredients and he has an outstanding wine cellar (The Ranch at Rock Creek; 877 786 1545; theranchatrockcreek.com). Montana is the size of Germany, so don't underestimate journey times. You can drive from Philipsburg to places like Yellowstone but it'll take all day. Nor should you underestimate the altitude. A short bike ride uphill will leave you breathless; mild headaches are possible. Take it easy and wear sunscreen. Be careful out there. Some areas have grizzlies and rattlesnakes, but accidents are rare - listen to local advice. Insects can be troublesome in summer - pack insect repellent. Don't wear jodhpurs and an English riding hat - you'll look silly, plus the authentic cowboy look is more practical and much more cool.