Deer Lodge, Montana
Desert Jet Destinations – Rock Creek Cattle Company
Desert Jet Destinations are places our clients can enjoy that would be impractical to get to using scheduled airline service.
Just north of the copper mines of Anaconda on Interstate 90 you’ll drive through the one-traffic light metropolis of Deer Lodge, Montana. Don’t blink. The town lies in a beautiful valley with 10,000 foot mountains to the east and west. In the foothills just west of town is a 300,000 acre cattle ranch that is unique in that it raises Texas Long-horn cattle. It is also where you’ll find of one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the country – Rock Creek Cattle Company.
Driving on the dirt road to the compound, the vastness of the property hits you. Endless fields of hay spotted with those Texas Long-horns that I’m told will never be served for dinner. The splendor of the Rockies that cast their evening shadows over the valley provides a sense of security while you’re nestled in their grandeur. As we get closer to the clubhouse, known as the Cattlemen’s Club, you get a glimpse of the first and second holes of the new Tom Doak golf course. As we cross the wooden bridge over Rock Creek we are here. Well-appointed log cabins line the creek, with decks where you can sit and listen to the water tumbling over the boulders. The two larger buildings are the Cattlemen’s Club, where you can go to enjoy food and drink, as well as find fly fishing equipment, and the Creek Club, which houses the exercise room, lockers as well as private quarters for massage.
In typical Tom Doak fashion, the course works with the existing landscape. Instead of moving lots of dirt and changing the face of the earth, the links follow the natural layout. The par 71, 7466 yard course is loaded with challenges. The balance of risk vs. reward will tease you with glory, but penalize the shot that isn’t perfect. The 7th and 17th, both par 3 holes, involve shots over Rock Creek to well protected greens. The 18th is a 600 yard par 5 that brings you back to the clubhouse. It starts from an elevated tee looking out toward the Flint Creek Range. You can’t help but stop, take a deep breath, and consider playing another round before the sun goes down. The well equipped club house has plenty of clubs, balls and clothes, just in case you forgot to bring that new wedge. Also, La Quinta residents may recognize General Manager Fred Nadeau, he was the former head golf professional at Andalusia.
But, golf is not the only thing on the activity menu at Rock Creek. If some members of your family “accidentally forgot” to bring their clubs, guides are available for fly fishing, hunting, boating, swimming, hiking, back packing, mountain climbing, ATV riding and horseback riding. Several mountain trail heads border the property for hikes into the local mountains. Winter activities include cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, and snowmobiling. Discovery Basin Ski area is only 45 minutes away.
Desert Jet clients can enjoy a 2 ½ hour flight from Palm Springs aboard our Citations, landing in Deer Lodge airport, where the guides from Rock Creek meet the plane and take you for a short drive to the club. Airline service would involve a connection in either Salt Lake City or Denver and a commuter flight to either Helena or Butte. From either of those cities, there is a 90 minute drive to Deer Lodge.
Deer Lodge Private Jet Charter
Deer Lodge has something to offer for everyone, so be sure to add them to your list of future destinations. When you are ready to book your next trip, please contact us at 760-399-1000 or charter@desertjet.com, where a charter specialist will be glad to arrange your travel accommodations. Let Desert Jet take you there.