Yellowstone Country holds many secrets – powerful waterfalls, elusive bears and mountain lions, and blissful hot springs. One of its hidden gems sits on converted hayfields at the base of the Big Creek Basin – Rising Sun Golf Course. This Golfer’s paradise is available exclusively for guests of Mountain Sky Guest Ranch and guests from neighboring AMB West properties.
Mountain Sky will celebrate its 100th year as a dude ranch in just four years. Rising Sun Golf Course was a relatively recent addition (2011), but Owner Arthur Blank approached its construction with the utmost consideration, resulting in a bucket list experience. It’s a Johnny Miller-designed golf course with 18 holes at championship yardage, and the first Audubon certified bird sanctuary golf course in Montana.
As with everything at this one-of-a-kind guest ranch, guests are invited to step out of their day-to-day life and embrace time in nature – whether driving the ball in front of an awe-inspiring mountainscape, horseback riding through rolling hills, or relaxing with a glass of wine at the Clubhouse while watching the sunset.
Golf in the Heart of a Montana Dude Ranch
Rising Sun Golf Course is named for Mountain Sky’s iconic cattle brand and logo. Situated in the Big Creek Basin, from the lodge and from the green, you can witness the sun rise over Emigrant Peak, a 10,926-foot mountain peak. The ranch itself covers 17,000 acres, providing wide open spaces to roam and reset over the course of your stay.
As part of the all-inclusive dude ranch experience, your stay includes a luxury cabin that serves as your home away from home.
Meet with family, friends and other guests for breakfast before choosing from over a dozen included adventures, like trail rides, hikes, sporting clays, archery and fly fishing. You simply need to write your name on the golf sheet posted on the activity board in the lodge. Notably, you can golf the Rising Sun Golf Course as many times as you would like during your 5-to-7-day stay. Friends and family members can join you or opt for their own favorite activities, spa treatments, or self-guided exploration.
Meet your guide for a drive down the canyon to Rising Sun. The course features multiple tees to accommodate all levels of play, a full driving range, and a par 3 course with three green complexes and nine tee box variations. It stretches to 7,130 from the tips and offers five sets of tees. Aside from the stunning beauty of the course, the pace is attuned to the flexibility of a Montana guest ranch vacation.
“You might go an entire round without seeing another person on the course. Finish your round and want to go out and play another nine? The tee is yours. Short on time? Skip ahead to the 15th and play the postcard-worthy closing stretch. There is also a newly opened short course you have to check out. An instructor is also on hand for a quick lesson in case you come down with the yips.” ~ Adam Christensen, Golf Magazine
What Makes Rising Sun a Golfer’s Paradise
The flexible nature of golfing at Rising Sun, makes it easy to accommodate all levels of play. Guides are on hand in the Clubhouse and on the driving range to help younger guests and beginners learn skills before tackling the course. It’s the perfect setting for young kids or multi-generational families to get practice without feeling restrained by tee times and busy schedules.
“I can almost guarantee you won’t find another course in the country that offers this combination of awe-inspiring holes coupled with the freedom to engage them however you see fit. Every hole is a postcard, and the more shots you hit, the less you care about your score and the more you find yourself immersed in the surrounding nature scape.” ~Eli Jordan, AvidGolfer.com
For the avid golfer, the course offers challenges that will likely have you returning for more rounds after you get a feel for the course. The first nine holes are set on the gently rolling terrain of the valley floor. They weave between meandering creeks that provide challenges and untold pastoral beauty.
The course climbs on the inward nine holes, set amongst the Absaroka and Gallatin mountains. Even while you are busy rising to the difficult challenges the course offers, you may find yourself snapping pictures of mountains rising in the distance.
“The 15th tee is magazine-cover pretty. They call this Paradise Valley, which makes sense, because your round starts in the valley below and the views continue to get better on your way to the epic crescendo on the 15th.” ~ Adam Christensen, Golf Magazine
One of the challenges of Rising Sun is the conditions. Montana is known for its sweeping skies that bring with it winds and the occasional storm. You can make the choice to adjust your game to meet the challenge or return another day with different conditions. The solitude, awe-inspiring views, and laidback pace of Montana golf vacations offer a striking contrast to crowded resorts.
Pairing Recreation with Relaxation
When you return to the ranch after a morning session at Rising Sun, you can enjoy lunch and some time to take in the scenery, or you can head out on another activity. There are few dude ranches with golf, and even fewer where you can play 18 holes in the morning and learn to wrangle cattle in the afternoon. After the day’s adventures, guests relax in the saloon or by the fire, sharing stories of their excursions.
To maximize your game and wellbeing, Mountain Sky boasts a Wellness Center where you can treat sore muscles. Daily yoga classes are available in the morning and afternoon and suit all levels of flexibility.
Book a signature massage that treats the sore areas of the body, or opt for a signature treatment called “Rancher’s Paradise” that focuses on the neck, shoulders and scalp while you rest on an infrared Biomat. Weaving activities with wellness helps keep the body in top condition and sink further into relaxation while on vacation. Don’t miss the opportunity to sink into the indoor Grotto, a hot pool, the sauna and steam room, and the outdoor pool and hot tub during your stay.
Booking a Golf Getaway at a Luxury Dude Ranch
The amenities, activities, incredible food and relaxation make Mountain Sky a destination to return to year after year. Only about 1 in every 10 guests is new to the ranch each year, because golfers, families and friends usually prefer to make their stay a yearly ritual.
“The thing that I love about Mountain Sky the most is that it brings together people, usually families, and sometimes friends and families, and they come back year after year.” ~Owner Arthur Blank for Forbes Magazine
Arthur Blank and the staff at Mountain Sky continue to improve the course. In the summer of 2025, they completed a bunker renovation project.
“The bunker renovation is a major investment back into the Rising Sun golf course and emphasizes our desire to maintain a world-class golf course for our ranch guests,” said Mike Petersen, superintendent of Rising Sun.
The impeccable service and ease of planning a customized itinerary, makes this Montana guest ranch vacation an anticipated annual event. Each trip welcomes new opportunities to see wildlife, experience stunning sunsets, and tee off at one of the most extraordinary championship courses in the United States.
Inquire to learn more about available dates and Rising Sun Golf Course. Plan your golf getaway at Mountain Sky.
