Located in Cottonwood Canyon, this 35-acre retreat offers luxurious glamping accommodations, farm-to-table dining, rejuvenating spa treatments, and immersive outdoor activities, all guided by a deep commitment to sustainability. Owners Rayner and Tanya Smith have created a 35-acre sanctuary surrounded by pines and cedars alongside the gentle flow of South Cottonwood Creek. This retreat invites visitors to breathe fresh air and find natural peace.
As soon as a guest steps out of their car, they begin a journey toward serenity. “Walking along the creek and crossing the bridges helps calm your nervous system before your massage or your dinner,” Tanya explained.
“We want to connect people with nature,” Rayner added. “Our goal is to provide a space where individuals can experience the beauty of Montana sustainably and authentically.”
Opened in June 2020, the boutique eco-resort features nine luxurious glamping tipis for accommodations. Guests can dine at the farm-to-table wild game Field Kitchen Restaurant, housed in a large tipi and connected to a mobile kitchen. The resort offers a variety of activities, including hiking, farming, off-site fly fishing, and relaxing massages.
BY STELLA FONG
Bodhi Farms is more than just a boutique eco-resort—it’s an experience designed to reconnect guests with nature, wellness, and mindful living.
“The outdoor spa offers yoga, massages in a heated tipi, and a wood-fired sauna. The Yoga Shala is open on all sides, bringing your practice into nature,” Rayner shared. The tipi sides are opened during warm, sunny days and closed on colder ones while the heated floors allow for a warm practice year-round. The Wandering Sauna provides a space for gathering and is located near the creek.
Five-star comfort is found in the Nordic tipis. Tufts and Needle mattresses swaddled with high-thread count sheets and heated blankets provide a touch of luxury. Six windows and clear front and back doors offer natural light and mountain views while a private porch equipped with a hammock allow for further relaxation. Wi-Fi is available; however, Rayner emphasized that “the best experience for the guest is sleeping by the creek,” where the soothing sound of flowing water can lull them to sleep.
A guest can begin their day with a cup of coffee made using the in-room coffee maker and enjoy a farm-fresh continental breakfast.
Five-star comfort is found in the Nordic tipis. Tufts and Needle mattresses swaddled with high-thread count sheets and heated blankets provide a touch of luxury. Six windows and clear front and back doors offer natural light and mountain views while a private porch equipped with a hammock allow for further relaxation. Wi-Fi is available; however, Rayner emphasized that “the best experience for the guest is sleeping by the creek,” where the soothing sound of flowing water can lull them to sleep.
A guest can begin their day with a cup of coffee made using the in-room coffee maker and enjoy a farm-fresh continental breakfast.
“Our glamping buffet includes grains, cereals, fruits, juices, and eggs from our chickens, along with coffee made from beans sourced from Ghost Town Coffee Roasters,” Tanya shared.
The food served at Bodhi Farms pays homage to the area’s rich history, showcasing the local bounty and a steadfast commitment to sustainable cooking. The goal is to celebrate seasonal produce and draw inspiration from the eating practices of Native tribes, which include sourcing indigenous game and fish, along with wild berries, native greens, and herbs.
The food served at Bodhi Farms pays homage to the area’s rich history, showcasing the local bounty and a steadfast commitment to sustainable cooking. The goal is to celebrate seasonal produce and draw inspiration from the eating practices of Native tribes, which include sourcing indigenous game and fish, along with wild berries, native greens, and herbs.
During the summer months, seasonal produce is grown in the 1 1/2-acre garden. After five years of building the soil and learning what thrives in the southwestern Montana environment, Rayner said they’ve become more focused.
“We are reducing the number of things we grow. We are keeping it simple,” she said. By doing this, the culinary team can have more consistent products to cook with.
Rayner oversees the menu for the property.
“I am a highly involved owner,” he said. “We have a 200-page cookbook with recipes we have tasted and approved.”
As a boy, Rayner hunted white-tail deer with his father and uncles in Texas. Although he used a gun during childhood, he later took up bow hunting in high school and practiced archery. Early on, he learned how to process his harvest, making sausages and jerky. Recalling Thanksgiving, he shared, “We would shoot our own turkey for our feast.”
“We are reducing the number of things we grow. We are keeping it simple,” she said. By doing this, the culinary team can have more consistent products to cook with.
Rayner oversees the menu for the property.
“I am a highly involved owner,” he said. “We have a 200-page cookbook with recipes we have tasted and approved.”
As a boy, Rayner hunted white-tail deer with his father and uncles in Texas. Although he used a gun during childhood, he later took up bow hunting in high school and practiced archery. Early on, he learned how to process his harvest, making sausages and jerky. Recalling Thanksgiving, he shared, “We would shoot our own turkey for our feast.”
He taught himself the technique of “whole animal cooking.” His inspiration initially came from Francis Mallmann, an Argentine celebrity chef, author, and restaurateur specializing in Argentine cuisine, particularly Patagonian barbecuing methods.
“I would host cookouts for friends using whole lambs,” he recalled, fondly remembering a feast he prepared during the solar eclipse in Jackson, Wyoming, in 2017.
Over the years, the Smiths have collected ideas from farm-to-table dinners they attended, creating every dish to be custom developed. While Rayner provided input for the heartier dishes, he credits Tanya for the lighter and fresher recipes.
“I would host cookouts for friends using whole lambs,” he recalled, fondly remembering a feast he prepared during the solar eclipse in Jackson, Wyoming, in 2017.
Over the years, the Smiths have collected ideas from farm-to-table dinners they attended, creating every dish to be custom developed. While Rayner provided input for the heartier dishes, he credits Tanya for the lighter and fresher recipes.
The ingredients for the dishes served in Field Kitchen Restaurant come from Bodhi’s in-house garden and local farms, supplemented by produce from Three Hearts Farm, SporeAttic Mushrooms, and Chance Farms, all local to the area. Breads are freshly baked by On the Rise, with flour supplied by Wheat Montana. Wickens Ranch in Winifred, Montana, provides beef, while the chicken is sourced from Black Dog Farms in Livingston, Montana. Trout comes from Native Fish Keepers, and Montrail Bison supplies bison. For cheese, the creamy goodness is contributed by Amaltheia Organic Dairy, Lifeline Farm, Vintage Cheese Co., and Kalispell Kreamery.
The beer and spirits offered at Bodhi Farms are Montana made while their wines are sourced from near distant neighbors with more experienced wine makers from northern California, Oregon and Washington. Their cocktail menu features drinks with fun and playful descriptions. The Cowboy cocktail is perfect for those who have “worked hard all day,” while the Thirsty Farmer is described as “a Huckleberry Lemonade for grownups.”
Bison tartare served on a fry bread crisp, roasted roots salad made with mixed greens and Montana honey mustard dressing, and mushroom barley risotto with ricotta are just a few of the dishes on the menu with items changing to fit the season. For dessert, offerings include carrot cake made from homegrown carrots and Bodhi s’mores, which a guest can cook over a campfire just outside the restaurant.
The beer and spirits offered at Bodhi Farms are Montana made while their wines are sourced from near distant neighbors with more experienced wine makers from northern California, Oregon and Washington. Their cocktail menu features drinks with fun and playful descriptions. The Cowboy cocktail is perfect for those who have “worked hard all day,” while the Thirsty Farmer is described as “a Huckleberry Lemonade for grownups.”
Bison tartare served on a fry bread crisp, roasted roots salad made with mixed greens and Montana honey mustard dressing, and mushroom barley risotto with ricotta are just a few of the dishes on the menu with items changing to fit the season. For dessert, offerings include carrot cake made from homegrown carrots and Bodhi s’mores, which a guest can cook over a campfire just outside the restaurant.
Bodhi Farms follows a zero-waste principle, ensuring that no food waste ends up in land ills; instead, it is recycled.
The leftovers that cannot be used to feed the chickens, which lay the eggs, and the two pigs purchased each year are composted. The eggs not used for their dishes are sold in the restaurant, and the pigs are butchered in the fall.
Rayner described their aerobic composting technique as “lasagna mulching,” layering in wood chips to make a hearty compost. To recycle meat, oils and other fatty substances, Bokashi or anaerobic composting methods are employed.
“We have exciting plans to enhance our operations,” Rayner said. “We are adding a greenhouse so we can operate year-round.”
This year, Bodhi Farms will collaborate with Tournant from Portland in early summer. Tournant owners Mona Johnson and Jaret Foster focus on a farm-to-fire approach to cooking. Their meals are inspired by the seasons and the local harvest, which aligns with Bodhi Farms’ philosophy.
The leftovers that cannot be used to feed the chickens, which lay the eggs, and the two pigs purchased each year are composted. The eggs not used for their dishes are sold in the restaurant, and the pigs are butchered in the fall.
Rayner described their aerobic composting technique as “lasagna mulching,” layering in wood chips to make a hearty compost. To recycle meat, oils and other fatty substances, Bokashi or anaerobic composting methods are employed.
“We have exciting plans to enhance our operations,” Rayner said. “We are adding a greenhouse so we can operate year-round.”
This year, Bodhi Farms will collaborate with Tournant from Portland in early summer. Tournant owners Mona Johnson and Jaret Foster focus on a farm-to-fire approach to cooking. Their meals are inspired by the seasons and the local harvest, which aligns with Bodhi Farms’ philosophy.
Over the years, Rayner has taught wood fire cooking classes at Bodhi Farms, so he eagerly anticipates sharing ideas with these fire experts during a wild game, surf, and turf feast featuring bison, elk, Pacific oysters, and crab. The fire masters plan a ticketed dinner at Bodhi Farms on June 25.
Bodhi Farms will host their third annual Montana Farm-to-Table Food Festival in July, featuring local chefs and seasonal produce for a walk-about eating experience in the field behind their restaurant. Last year, participants included Butter Bakery, est. 1864, Fielding’s, I-Ho’s Korean Grill, and The Flip Flop Guy.
At Bodhi Farms, enlightenment for the appetite and soul is found in a space not far from the bustling city. Owners Rayner and Tanya want all to “Come to eat and drink, come to celebrate, come to relax and be well.” With the natural offerings of bounty and spirit from a yoga practice, glamping by the creek, or dining in a Nordic Tipi, a guest departs with the gifts of harmony and namaste.
Bodhi Farms will host their third annual Montana Farm-to-Table Food Festival in July, featuring local chefs and seasonal produce for a walk-about eating experience in the field behind their restaurant. Last year, participants included Butter Bakery, est. 1864, Fielding’s, I-Ho’s Korean Grill, and The Flip Flop Guy.
At Bodhi Farms, enlightenment for the appetite and soul is found in a space not far from the bustling city. Owners Rayner and Tanya want all to “Come to eat and drink, come to celebrate, come to relax and be well.” With the natural offerings of bounty and spirit from a yoga practice, glamping by the creek, or dining in a Nordic Tipi, a guest departs with the gifts of harmony and namaste.
