OTO Homestead and Dude Ranch

OTO Homestead and Dude Ranch is a historic ranch property with multiple preserved buildings featuring rubblestone foundations and log construction along Cedar Creek beneath the Absaroka Mountains. The site spreads across the landscape with several structures that reveal how a working ranch operated during its time.

The property began in 1898 when Dick and Dora Randall purchased squatters rights and transformed a simple cabin into Montana's first dude ranch. Between 1912 and 1934 it became a recognized destination where guests sought authentic Western experiences.

The name OTO represents the owners and their Eastern guests who experienced ranch work, horseback riding, and mountain adventures here. The buildings and their layout show how this place introduced visitors to Western life during its operating years.

The site is maintained by the United States Forest Service and accessible via Cedar Creek Road, approximately ten miles northwest of Gardiner. Visiting requires sturdy footwear and navigation skills since the location is mountainous and remote.

Theodore Roosevelt and Marcellus Hartley Dodge Jr. were among the notable guests who experienced the authentic ranch operations there. Their visits show how the property attracted prominent figures who sought genuine mountain adventures from the start.