Writing a story on my favorite eco-resorts in North and Central America for Away.com, I came across the Lodge at Sun Ranch.  Tucked away in Montana’s Montana River Valley in the southwestern part of the state, Sun Ranch is a 26,000-acre chunk of property manned by genuine cowboys as they tend to the more than 1500 head of cattle so it’s not some canned dude ranch experience.  You can horseback ride, fly-fish in trout-laden streams, go on a naturalist-led hike or paddle, and feel good knowing that the resort goes over the top to reduce its environmental footprint.  Sun Ranch recently donated a 10-year lease to Trout Unlimited to make sure the tributaries on their property are free of irrigation.  They also removed barb wire so elk can roam the grounds, purchase local produce from nearby farmers to ensure fresh meals in the restaurant, and used recyclable materials to renovate the main lodge. 

Jumping on the green bandwagon, eco-ranches are becoming the latest trend in the West.  It wasn’t so long ago that environmentalists butted heads with ranchers, charging them of destroying the land and the local ecosystem. But a new generation of owners in the West, like the Lodge at Sun Ranch and Lazy E-L, a working cattle ranch on the outskirts of Yellowstone Park, has emerged in the past year offering a sustainable style of ranching.