Life is Good Lodge Montana on Gary Cooper Ranch at Dearborn River Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

Q: Is Life is Good Lodge Montana on Gary Cooper Ranch at Dearborn River pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 50 lbs per pet.

Q: Where is Life is Good Lodge Montana on Gary Cooper Ranch at Dearborn River located?

Situated on the waterfront, this vacation home is within a 5-minute walk of Missouri River and Dearborn River. Tower Rock Trailhead and Tower Rock State Park are also within 12 mi (20 km).

10/10 Excellent

Gary W.

2 July 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful location

The property was everything we were looking for. This was a guy's fishing vacation with two sons and grandson. The best part was sitting out on deck under the night sky talking, laughing and sipping Montana wiskey. The house propvided the perfect setting for this to happen.

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Robert B.

8 May 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great spot !

Remote and perfect spot for our annual fly trip to Craig. Thank you!

Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

JD R.

23 May 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

fishing trip

everything was great,as advertized, yard work was not quite done but adequate, only complaint..the road, made for a pretty rough time in and out. enjoyed our time, would do it again !!!

Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

8/10 Good

David D., Chester Springs

17 May 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Privacy and Wilderness

Tremendous views and peaceful setting.

Stayed 5 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

tyler s.

15 June 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Hidden Gem

This place is was great. The property is absolutely incredible. Its truly a unique experience. We had zero issues with anything, and Donna was great to work with. We will definitely be back in the future.

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kathleen S.

8 July 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wow!

This was our second time staying at this property, and again, we were blown away by how beautiful it was! We loved to spend time each day fishing and swimming in the river! Each evening we had deer to watch as we sat outside on the deck and enjoyed the landscape! Can't wait to return again! Thank you!!!!

Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ryan H.

19 June 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Life is good

The place was amazing. Everything the ad described and more. Be sure to have a truck or SUV, as the road was in rough shape. Overall, a great experience

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

14 September 2020

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice location

Super nice area to spend a couple days in. Cabin was nice but place could have been cleaner. Bathrooms needed a good deep clean and the dishes were dirty. Really disappointed in the kennel, interior was filthy and there was no way it was suitable for a dog.

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2020

8/10 Good

Beau R., Great Falls mt

24 July 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful weekend

My Brothers and I had a great trip! The accommodations and weather were pleasant. The road to the property is very slow and bumpy but once you get back there.... it was so quiet. We enjoyed grilling on the back deck and watching the deer and even seen to owls. We had a great weekend. Thanks Donna and Monica

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Sefton I.

17 September 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

True Montana Cabin

My brother and I took our father to Montana on a fishing trip as a gift for his 80th birthday. This place was remote and spacious with a pool table and satellite internet to boot! The owners provided lots of great information on how to get there and where to find groceries, etc. They even gave me some tips on what flies to use for our time there! The place was clean and was the best stocked VRBO house I’ve ever rented. Be sure you follow the advice to get a 4wd vehicle to get there. The airport rental agencies couldn’t promise us that we would get 4wd so we used the Turo app to find a private owner to rent a car from. The trout are in the pool right in front of this place. Magical.

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Douglas H.

12 August 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location but needs some TLC

The property is in a very nice location right on the Dearborn river. Unfortunately for us it was a drought year and the river was very low and water temps very warm. It did make for great swimming. The cabin is very nice but could use some regulars maintenance. Just little things like cabinet handles, Toilet flush handle, fresh set of non stick pans etc.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Matthew S.

21 August 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Rugged riverside cabin

What a wonderful stay! The cabin was extremely accommodating and clean. It had all the amenities that one would figure they would have at their own home. As they warn numerous of times, the road and drive way to the cabin is rugged and I would say a 4x4 vehicle of some type is REQUIRED to get to, but fortunately we were prepared. It took around 10-15 minutes to reach the cabin from the highway as you have to go SLOW as you traverse the mountains to get to the cabin. Some parts of the road have some steep, but breath taking views! Just be aware of this and you will have no problem. Donna was extremely responsive when we had questions regarding river access and making sure we weren't trespassing on nearby properties. (It wasn't an issue and we had full access to the Dearborn River and additional access in different locations of the Dearborn with a permission slip from the owners, incredible!) Be sure to read their letter they send when you book thoroughly, it covers all of your questions. The only thing to be aware is that in the photos, you don't see (or its hard to see) additional houses near the cabin. Just be advised that there are 4 additional cabins/ residences "nearby" but definitely not in close proximity. If you're looking for a cabin in extreme isolation, this is ALMOST that, but with some neighbors no closer than 100 yards or further, just to be mindful of. Overall it was a great stay for myself and family for a guys fishing trip!

Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Audrey k.

6 September 2019

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Disliked: Cleanliness

Dearborn

Beautiful location, road challenging but as described and expected - would recommend clearance on your vehicle, Place was cool - views wonderful, nice place — Cleanliness was an issue- old dirt in corners, toilets dirty , shower dirty and mildew- crowded with old shampoos and old soaps- floors had film of dirt-stairs and upstairs did not appear vacuumed, closets and under sink disorderly- rotten cooked chicken in fridge, other food that was opened and not appropriate to pass on to next guests, Empty wine bottle and dirty travel coffee mug left on window sill in kitchen- Ran into friendly cleaner when we arrived late afternoon and she said she had a scheduling mix up but needed a half hour- was fine and we were ok with her finishing and content waiting and assumed we weren’t rushing her out before toilets were cleaned- - it was not our scheduling mix up and we booked plenty in advance- There was old dirt under and in corners -dust bunnies-and the place needed some attention- broken window in Queen room nailed permanently shut meant no good circulation in that room- it’s the only room with a door and some privacy but the door needed to stay open for the windows and fans in great room -for the price I feel that it is not unreasonable to expect a window repair/ replacement-and better cleaning— The dishwasher was coddled and we ran the hot water as recommended but it still did a poor job- I suspect the filter needs a cleaning and maybe some liquid soap and rinse aid would help- There is a large selection of kitchen necessities- Throw pillows visible dirt and dust,-etc Mostly seemed like a loved place that needed some sprucing up- a Spring Cleaning and tune up if you will-all in all, it is a cool place worth seeking out as long as these fairly easy issues are addressed- maintenance issues-which I suspect will be soon since the owner has been good at communication thus far- Kitchen, nice pool table, views and the quaint little Dearborn river are worth it regardless-the porch and the fire pit are pleasant- Some trout were caught by my son in Dearborn right in front of house and there were a couple of bald eagles hanging around- also we saw a huge bull snake swim across the Dearborn which was cool- If you’re traveling for floating the Missouri this location works great- spent a day looking at Pottery at Archie Brae in Helena- a must see for art enthusiasts and enjoyed a lovely healthy lunch at Murray’s downtown- 45 min

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019

2/10 Terrible

Dave s.

12 September 2022

Disliked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

50-Year Veterans Fishing Reunion Ruined!

I would give this property and the owners a ZERO if I could. In my opinion, Donna the owner who lives back East and her husband Dave remind me of used car salesmen. They will tell you anything to get your money! They knew how important that this fishing reunion was to me and my Veterans, but they over promised and under delivered - Big Time! The owner Dave made numerous statements how good the fishing is in the river behind his cabin. His VRBO listing has a video that shows a lot of good size fish being caught but according to his wife, Donna the video was made by a production company and the owners are not responsible for the content. However, it sure made us feel that we could expect the same quality of fish. After four highly skilled fishermen fished up and down the river right behind their cabin for 11 miles, a total of four fish were caught. All of the fish were less than five inches long except for the "big one" which was eight-inches. As for the main cabin, well the bedrooms in the loft area are not private. They open to living & dining rooms. The DVD player did not work. The owners told us that using their wifi would work for our cell phones. Nope! Only for T-Mobile. As for the condition of the main cabin when we opened the pantry closet in the kitchen it was clear that that have had or have mice as there was a chewed bag of mice bait poison on the shelf next to cooking pans. We have pictures. A large frying pan in the cabinets were covered in old grease. We have pictures. The smaller cabin was littered in both live and dead insects. It looked like it had not been cleaned in weeks. There were two spiderwebs with live spiders - one of which had the marking of a black-widow. I have pictures. When I contacted Donna she sent the house cleaner back out to I thought clean the entire small cabin of bugs but no! She only cleaned a few areas of dead bugs.. Back to the main cabin,,, on Saturday while cooking dinner a mouse came out of an opening under the kitchen cabinets. He ran around and ran back into the cabinet. I have pictures. I contacted Donna she said that she does not have mice and that it must have been our fault. Because of the mouse and its potential for carrying disease, and the fact that one of my Veterans has a medical condition, we left one full day early. I asked for a one day refund because we did not want to leave but the mice situation made us leave to be safe. Donna refused & said not to contact her again. Wow!

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

William H.

22 August 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great remote location for family!

We loved our stay-great home with nice kitchen; close to fabulous MT fishing.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tanner M.

1 October 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fishing trip

House was great,close to fishing!

Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

MelodyR R.

30 August 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Life is good

The property was great, a short walk to the water for fishing, swimming or kayaking. Water was a little low but we still got out there and enjoyed it. The only problem was the road to get there is a little rough even in our truck, prior to our arrival the area had a few downpours which eroded some of the road, Everything else was a class act. We are already hoping to come back in the future.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Dylan C.

9 August 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Dearborn River MT Vacation

Our family had a great time during our stay at the Life is Good Lodge. The location is remote / private and the river canyon is very scenic. Donna and Dave were helpful in communication with things to do and check in instructions.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Steven K.

30 July 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely Evenings

The cabin had lots of space to hang out in. The pool table was a real plus. The evenings on the back deck was a spectacular place to hang out and watch for wildlife. The communication with the owners was very easy. This property is well worth giving a try.

Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jeromy N.

23 August 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing Mountain Getaway

Fantastic cabin, amazing amenities in beautiful, peaceful scenic countryside. A great place to disconnect (though it has wifi, but no cell service). An amazing place to just relax, fish and visit with friends and family. The property managers/owners couldn't be more friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend this property and we would stay there again if the opportunity presents itself.

Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Sarah L.

10 August 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Week in July get away

Remote location was great for an unplugged week. House has everything needed. Although there was a mix up with the cleaner, Host was very quick to respond. Just take all your groceries and enjoy the peace.

Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2021

2/10 Terrible

Randall M.

6 August 2021

Disliked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Listing description vs. reality - Two different things

The listing description and photos do not match this property. We photographed and told the owner all the problems we found (see just a few below). The owner, Donna, had excuses for everything that was wrong and claimed she was "unaware" of obvious long standing problems. Look at previous reviews, she apologizes and claims "it's just Montana" or "the housekeeper is no longer with us", she portrays the property one way and the reality is very different. We have provided descriptions and photos of each problem, but the VRBO review system wouldn't handle the length of the review as it was over four pages long. The owners do not live in Montana and apparently have no local property manager. The property was not ready when we arrived at 3pm, as promised, but 5pm. We strongly recommend you do not stay at this VRBO and we are seeking to get our money back. Problems: It lists "3 spacious bedrooms" when it is only one, with two upstairs lofts, no privacy open to main house. None of the photos in the VRBO listing clearly show the open lofts. The listing notes a "private take out/put in on the Dearborn River." However, the house is not on the river and access is via an easement through the neighbor's property. You cannot drive to the river and a boat would have to be carried several hundred yards. According to locals, the river has not fished well since a flood several years ago. The yard was unmowed and unusable. Inside we found: Mouse droppings and urine all over the cutlery, drawers and cabinets, dirty dishes in the dish washer, microwave was greasy and covered with dirt and bugs, the stove and oven was very greasy and dirty. The right front gas burner on the stove ignites with an explosive blast and is a burn hazard, the living room sofa had mouse droppings and urine smell, additional mouse droppings were in the bedroom closet and throughout the house. Kitchen faucet did not work properly, upstairs toilet did not flush correctly. The cell phone booster only works for T-Mobile. Note that some corrections were made. The housekeeper came back to clean the kitchen shelves and drawers. (No other problem areas in cabin were cleaned). Some poison baits were put outside BUT we could not let the dog out due to the poison placement. Donna's husband came by to bring laundry soap, garbage bags and change the door lock code (which he did not do). He also sprayed mouse deterrent spray outside the house. Do yourself a favor and stay somewhere else.

Stayed 12 nights in Jul 2021

6/10 Okay

Tess T.

15 July 2021

Disliked: Cleanliness

Would rate higher except for housekeeping issues.

Would rate higher except for housekeeping issues (reported to owner) and the challenging drive in, as posted here by earlier guests. My husband and two friends stayed here a week on a fishing trip. The air conditioner wasn’t working when they arrived during the recent heat wave, but was fixed the next day. The upstairs toilet wasn’t flushing. (They fixed it, but a plumber should look at it.) They chose not to use the dishwasher due to heavy buildup of lime deposits and old, stuck food particles. The trash bins were overflowing upon arrival. And something has died under the porch (very aromatically, given the heat wave.) Beautiful location and, as advised in the check-in notes, there are rattlesnakes! This is Montana.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

8/10 Good

Brett B.

10 June 2021

Liked: Check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Great private property in Montana.

We had a great trip. The house was quite and nice and in a very unique location. The only thing we did not enjoy about the property was the 4 wheel drive road to the property itself. Thanks.

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Steve F.

2 June 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Heaven is on the Dearborn!

Your beautiful Dearborn River Retreat was perfect for our mini family reunion! What a great view from the dining, main and pool table room as well as the patio and the bedrooms. We particularly enjoyed the native wildlife: deer, an eagle, and owls! The river Is running fast in muddy right now but still nonetheless and a beautiful experience to walk down along the river.

Stayed 3 nights in May 2021

Life is Good Lodge Montana on Gary Cooper Ranch at Dearborn River

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