LIVINGSTON — Thursday morning, at Mission Field Airport in Livingston, a nonprofit organization took ranchers to the skies to get a new perspective on the Crazy Mountain Ranch controversy.
“Have you seen the golf course to that extent before?” I asked Bob Boyd. “No, I hadn’t ever seen it,” Bob told me.
Bob Boyd, a name that might sound familiar if you’ve been following the Crazy Mountain Ranch situation. I first met Bob in early June, when the controversy began. Nearly 3 months later, I wondered, what had changed?
“You know the situation since we talked before hasn’t changed much, except that Crazy Mountain Ranch has admitted that they screwed up,” Bob shared.
WATCH: Ranchers soar over the land and discover the truth about water rights and irrigation.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Crazy Mountain Ranch affair, let’s break it down. Crazy Mountain Ranch, or CMR, was bought by Lone Mountain Land Company in 2021 to operate a private membership experience. In 2024, the ranch began to irrigate a new 18-hole golf course, according to the state without proper water rights. Irrigation continued in the 2025 season, angering local ranchers. Twelve official formal complaints of illegal water use were filed with the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation, or DNRC, which soon thereafter filed a lawsuit.
“I think they were to the point where they were going to irrigate regardless. And when that lawsuit was filed, they realized that they had to do something different,” said Bob.
That something different involved stopping the illegal use of water on their ranch and purchasing water from Big Timber to be shipped in. Now that you’re all caught up, you’re probably wondering what planes have to do with all this.
“We went up, and we flew over the ranch itself. We were able to see what the golf course is and how it’s progressing. They’re still working on it,” Bob told me.
The Park County Environmental Council organized flight tours with a nonprofit organization called EcoFlight, which provides aerial perspectives for environmental and social issues across the country.
“It was fun,” Bob shared. “We were able to see a little bit of where the water comes out of the lake.”
Ranchers, Park County commissioners, and even the mayor of Clyde Park took part in group discussions, then took to the skies to get a bird's-eye view and a better understanding of Rock Lake, which is where most of the ranchers in Clyde Park get their water. They also got to observe Crazy Mountain Ranch from above.
“From the air, you can see everything that’s going on: the tennis courts, the employee housing units, the construction of the golf course, and where the water is coming from,” said Gary Kraft.
Gary has flown planes for over 30 years, 15 of which were with EcoFlight. He was happy to be the pilot for these Crazy Mountain tours.
“Our goal is to advocate for the environment,” says Gary. “We strive to be facilitators for solutions and good conversations that can create better outcomes for the environment.”
For Bob Boyd, who’s lived in the Clyde Park area for more than 50 years, he was the first rancher to file a complaint over Crazy Mountain Ranch. He’s happy this issue, which he’s so passionate about, is getting the attention it needs.
“I’m really tickled that there are enough people that care about what's going on in the area,” Bob told me. “You know water is a big deal. The more people that understand what we’re trying to accomplish, the better.”
