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A Week in Cow Camp with Ken McNabb | August 10th-15th, 2025

After years and years of people asking, I am very excited to add a new clinic offering to my 2025 calendar! It is with great excitement that I am pleased to bring you “A Week in Cow Camp with Ken McNabb”.

WHAT IS IT? This all-inclusive week-long rustic cow camp adventure will take you back to the old west located in the Pryor Mountains on the TX Ranch. Here by popular request, this working week will allow guests to participate in and practice the skills of gathering cattle, sorting cattle, ranch cutting, ranch roping, doctoring and branding- all while covering good stockmanship and cattle handling along the way!

LODGING: Our authentic cow camps are set up to make you feel like part of the family and one of the cowboys. Lodging for this ranch week will be range tipi’s with cots provided. Setup in camp includes a wash table with wash basins, a small wooden shower house (bring a solar shower bag/ baby wipes), and an outhouse facility. Fresh water tanks are provided near the cook cabin area for your personal use and for drinking. Everything is set up for you to relax and enjoy the pleasures of camping in a scenic, remote, open-range setting.

HORSES: All horses are provided for you to enjoy during this once in a lifetime ranch adventure in the mountains. (Due to the remote location of camp, you will not be able to get your own horse trailer to camp. All of our horses are kept in summer pasture and wrangled in every day. We do not have individual pens or other accommodations for personal horses to be brought in).

MEALS: Ranch-style meals are home-cooked and served in a log cabin. Guests are welcome to pack additional snacks for saddle bags etc. if desired. No alcohol will be permitted in camp.

TRAVEL: Whether you choose to fly or drive in for the week, we will plan to meet and welcome you in Billings, MT on Saturday, August 9th. We will offer free transportation to the ranch. WE MEET OUR GUESTS BETWEEN 5:00-5:30PM at the Best Western Clock Tower Inn. You must be there between these timeframes in order to travel to the ranch for your cow camp week. https://www.bwclocktowerinn.com/en/ | 2511 1st Avenue N, Billings, Montana, 59101, United States. If you plan to stay any nights at the hotel, please inform them that you will be a cow camp guest on the TX Ranch and they typically will offer a special ranch discount! For added convenience you may keep your luggage at the lobby until our scheduled Saturday meeting time. We will return to Billings the following Saturday between 11:30am-12:00pm.

*Ask the motel receptionist at Best Western Clock Tower Inn about the 10% downtown Billings restaurant discounts! A variety of restaurants and shopping are located in or near downtown Billings.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR TRIP: This week-long cow camp costs $2,300 per rider (limited riding spots available). To secure your spot a non-refundable deposit of $1,200.00 is required and can be paid with credit card online, by calling our office 307-645-3149 or by sending a check made out to Ken McNabb Horsemanship and mailed to KMH Attn: Michaela Miller PO Box 411 Broadus, MT 59317. If you mail a check, PLEASE call our offices to let us know so we can mark you on our charts to secure your spot. Your final payment of $1,100.00 will be due two weeks prior to your trip.

*PLEASE NOTE all deposits are non-refundable. If for some reason you are unable to attend the clinic due to a medical emergency for yourself (a doctor’s letter must be provided)- you will be able to move your deposit forward to another event within a 12-month timeframe of your original clinic dates. We cannot guarantee there will be an open spot in another clinic. If this deposit is not able to be used within the 12-month period it is at that point invalid.

A few special notes:

**Please note we do not allow outside pets into camp. We will have ranch dogs around.

**We will not offer fishing for the week- so there is no need to get a license unless you plan to do some other local sightseeing/ adventures before or after your trip.

**There is no cellphone service once we arrive into camp. This is a remote cowboy week!

**Non-riding guests are welcomed for the week; all guests pay the same price whether you are riding or not.

A few fun facts:

-The TX Ranch where I am hosting the week-long cow camp straddles the Montana/Wyoming border. Its privately owned range begins on either side of the Pryor Mountains, stretching for miles on down to the Big Horn Canyon and its breathtaking overlook! The ranch borders the historical “Will James Ranch” and the “Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range” for which Lloyd Tillett helped establish the herd. On the map, the ranch is located between Billings, Montana and Lovell, Wyoming. The ranch is a genuine working cattle ranch covering over 30,000 acres. It has been owned by the Tillett family since 1895, and they take pride in keeping it as authentic as possible.

-At night you can view a myriad of stars and often hear the coyotes howling in the distance.

-If you plan to do any sight seeing before or after your trip here are a few neat local things to see near Ken’s hometown of Lovell, WY. Horseshoe bend has some beautiful scenery and is part of the Pryor Mountains. This is also a few miles from the wild horse range where you can almost always see wild horses. Another great spot a few miles further to explore is Devils Canyon Overlook, a highly recommended place to visit. Barry’s Landing is an additional nearby breathtaking area to explore. You are not terribly far from a drive to Cody, WY where folks always give great feedback on the Buffalo Bill Center of the West Museum and love taking in the Cody Nite Rodeo.

SUGGESTED PACKING ITEMS FOR YOUR WEEK

While it is typical to have beautiful 70–80-degree days, please keep in mind that spring and fall weather can be cold, cool or windy. This list of suggested items will help keep you warm and comfortable. To keep our horses happy and safe, saddle items should be non-floppy, knots must stay snug and secure, and coats should be non-floppy and fit snuggly.

Clothing

• Warm, wind or weather-resistant coat that fits snuggly and is non-floppy; hat, gloves, warm socks, neck silk wild rag; optional rain poncho.

  • Dark quilted or thick, warm, comfy shirt that’s easy to brush off and long sleeve button up or pearl snap style shirts.

  • Cowboy boots with good, safe, stirrup heel; an extra pair of sturdy, comfortable shoes for camp.

  • Over-the-calf socks (to help keep legs happily free from chafing)

  • A wide-brimmed hat and/or billed cap

Camping Gear

• Warm sleeping bag or bedroll (rated for at least 0 degrees), warm comfy sleepwear; and optional blanket and/or pillow.

• Water bottle with nylon or leather pouch and easy tie options

• Flashlight, lantern, batteries

• Light, inexpensive throw rug, outdoor camping floor mat or towel for tent floor

• Towel, washcloth, soap, toothbrush/toothpaste, shampoo or dry shampoo, small mirror, brush

• Solar-heated shower bag

• Wet wipes, kleenex, two plastic bags for laundry and trash

• Special personal items such as sun/ lip screen, personal first-aid or medication items etc.

Riding Gear

• Saddle- we can provide you with a saddle, if need be, but you will be most comfortable in your own for that many miles. If you need a saddle, please let our offices know and state your seat size. mcnabbdeedee@gmail.com. If you are flying you can check a saddle as a bagged item. You are also welcome to ship it out ahead of the event.

• Spurs, simple; chaps/chinks (optional), ropes (we will have some around to try out) but if you already rope and know what you like please pack accordingly

• Small, non-floppy saddle bag or nylon zip bag to carry water and snacks

I am so excited to see you for a week of cow camp and a down to earth good working time!

Have questions? Please feel free to reach out to the office at 307.645.3149 or mcnabbdeedee@gmail.com.