The Riverhouse on the East Fork of the Bitterroot

Are you going to finish your coffee on the deck while watching elk graze across the river as the sun peeks over the Sapphire Mountains, or are you going to step off the deck and catch that 18 inch Westslope Cutthroat feeding at your feet? Life is full of tough choices. The Riverhouse is first and foremost OUR vacation home. That's why you'll find lots of statements like this in our reviews "It is obvious that the owners CARE GREATLY about their space" "Every single considerate option was included" "The house was immaculate" "the owners go above and beyond in their commitment to their guests" "they appreciate their guests and care about the quality of their stay" Whether your day is filled with fishing, hiking, snowshoeing, downhill skiing at Lost Trial Powder Mountain - 16 miles away, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, browsing antique shops, exploring small town Montana, visiting The Big Hole National Battlefield, tracing Lewis & Clark’s steps without leaving the property (what a great history lesson for young and old alike), exploring The Nez Perce Trail (also on the property), horseback riding, enjoying a good book, or a napping on the deck while listening to the river gurgle at your feet... you’ll love coming home to The Riverhouse and an evening that’s likely to include sites of big horn sheep, deer or elk. Then s’mores at the campfire next to the river and the sight of more stars in one night than you’ve likely seen in a life-time. Leave your 'Sounds of Nature' white noise maker at home, crack the sliding door, and nod off to the sounds of the river just a 33 feet from your King Size 'Select Comfort Sleep Number Bed' in the master bedroom. You might be treated to owls hooting the evening away or Coyotes singing you to sleep from Coyote Gulch (yes, that's the name of the gulch) across the river. The Riverhouse is a unique experience, away-from-it-all, yet in the middle of everything the Bitterroot Valley and Mountains have to offer. So close to all of the activities you want to experience in the Bitterroot Valley and the surrounding mountains, yet once you enter the grounds, you’re away from it all - ready to enjoy the river, the mountains directly across the river, the wildlife, and the peace and serenity of The Riverhouse. Whether you're looking for relaxation, wildlife viewing, fishing, or hiking you can do it all and more right here at The Riverhouse and still be only minutes away from everything the Bitterroot Valley, Bitterroot Mountains and Sapphire Mountains have to offer. If you're the adventurous type you'll want to wade across the river and hike to the top on Coyote Peak or take your four wheel drive up to the top of Sula Peak and take in the awesome views of the Bitterroot Valley and the surrounding mountains. You'll love the extra touches that make The Riverhouse your home for a few days, a week, or a month. Touches like: * The huge deck that starts 18 inches from the river bank. * King Size Sleep Comfort Sleep Number bed in the master bedroom. Ever wonder what it was like to sleep in perfect comfort? Find out while you're at the Riverhouse. * Fitted bottom sheets. Don't you hate it when you stay in a hotel and you're ready to jump into bed and you end up remaking it because the bottom sheet comes untucked? * Large soft snuggly bath towels. * Snuggly comforters – Grab a comforter and a deck chair for cozy star gazing. * Themed decorating that highlights local history and the great outdoors of Montana (The Lewis & Clark trail, Nez Perce Indians, Big Sky country, and of course fly fishing. * Enjoy the themed bedrooms. The second bedroom with the deck overlooking the river has a cowboy and cowgirl theme. The 3rd bedroom has a Montana wildlife theme. * Give yourself a history lesson and study the wall maps and artwork that show that Lewis & Clark likely had lunch right on the property. The Nez Perce trial runs right through the property also. * Outdoor fire pit * Comfy deck chairs * The balcony off the 2nd floor bedroom with its wonderful view of the river and Sapphire Mountains. You'll very likely see deer, elk and big horn sheep from the balcony. When we started looking for a vacation house as a fly fishing base in Montana and our Realtor sent us information on The Riverhouse, I literally said, “O-MY-GOD Patty, You have to see this.” It's location, right on the East Fork, with its great dry fly fishing... and its close proximity to a half dozen world class rivers and dozens of great creeks blew me away! Then we found out about Lost Trail Powder Mountain skiing 16 miles away - all of the great wide Montana sized trails (if you're used to skiing the mega resorts with huge crowds you won't believe how much room you have to yourself). The history, right here - the wildlife, right on the property, in the river, and across the river - A great wonderful 'Real Montana Home Cooking' restaurant only a mile away - and all that the Bitterroot Valley and surrounding mountains have to offer... The minute we drove onto the grounds of The Riverhouse, Patty and I knew this was our second home. When we bought the Riverhouse I expected to spend a lot of time fishing those other world class rivers and streams close by, but after fishing up and down the river right off the deck, I seldom go anywhere else. I’ve fished all of the famous rivers in Montana and scores of creeks, and it doesn’t get any better than up and down the river right here at the Riverhouse. FISHING - NO WARM WATER CLOSURES!!!!! In the 14 years that we've owned the Riverhouse the river has never been closed because of warm water. The Montana Department of Wildlife often closes rivers all day or in the afternoons due to warm water. This doesn't happen on the East Fork of the Bitterroot. The elevation at the Riverhouse is 4,000. Even on the hottest summer days the temperature gets into the 40s at night. The water coming to the house comes from even higher and cooler temperatures. The East Fork has not had any warm water closures in the 14 years that we've owned the house. NICE COOL NIGHTS FOR SLEEPING ALSO. Please remember, it is always illegal to keep any cutthroat trout on the East Fork - and to keep this one of the best places to fish in the world, please practice catch and release with all fish. Remember what Lee Wulff said in 1938, “A good game fish is too valuable to be caught only once. Releasing the fish is your gift to other anglers.” If you need a fishing guide, just ask us. We're sure you'll love The Riverhouse like we do. Give us a call, see phone number below - Pacific Time. Please call between 8am and 10pm pacific time. Keith & Patty Lee P.S. I've started mountain biking since we bought the Riverhouse. My favorite ride is to drive to the Crazy Creek campground, 4 miles away, and then bike up a mile or two and fish. It is beyond awesome.