Shorthill Homestead Lodge

In the heart of Paradise Valley in Livingston, Montana, Shorthill Homestead Lodge is tucked away on 35 private acres with sweeping views of the Yellowstone River.

The Lodge is a custom built 5,000 square foot Montana-inspired log home with am expansive wrap-around porch, three levels of spacious living with four bedrooms, three full bathrooms.

Enjoy two large wood burning stone fireplaces, gourmet chef's kitchen, a cozy library and gaming area complete with a pool table.
The space
Shorthill Homestead Lodge is a luxuriously built 5,000 sq fee custom log home on 35 private acres in Paradise Valley.

The Lodge invites guests to enjoy complete privacy with sweeping views of the valley & rolling pastures. Explore the entire property including the ponds & streams and walking trails that crisscross the land.

The Lodge is a custom log-home, complete with an expansive wrap-around porch, stone patio and wood-burning fire pit. Enjoy your morning coffee, cook up your favorite BBQ or enjoy an adult beverage next to the fire pit.

Step inside Lodge and spread out to enjoy three spacious levels of living space.

The main level had hand-scraped hardwood floors & a floor to ceiling stacked stone wood-burning fire place. Enjoy a book on the leather sofa and chairs next to a roaring fire.

The open living & dining area include large picture windows framing the landscape.

The chef's kitchen is fully stocked with all of the amenities of home including a Wolf Gas Range, tons of counter space & can seat 6 comfortably at the inviting round dining table.

The kitchen has easy access to the outdoor dining area which can seat an additional 6 people at the large picnic table illuminated by the Montana forged iron chandelier.

The main level includes two well-appointed bedrooms each with a queen bed & luxurious linens. The main level bathroom includes a tiled tub and shower, fluffy towels and is stocked with toiletries.

Head upstairs and notice the hand-forged iron railing as you ascend the carved wooden stairs and arrive at the cozy library: a perfect place to work from home, read a great novel or nap on the sofa. Large picture windows frame the view of Paradise Valley from the library.

Next stop: the master ensuite. Complete with a carved king sized log bed, plush linens and ample storage space, the master retreat is an oasis for our guests.

Step into the master bathroom and enjoy the soaker tub with a large picture window framing the rolling landscape. Heated tile floors and separate shower make the master bathroom a retreat after a long day of hiking, biking, skiing & exploring.

Enjoy a second guest suite is included on the top level of the lodge: complete with a queen sized bed, private attached bathroom with heated floors & tiled shower.

This guest suite also includes a fun loft with a wooden ladder to climb up, hide out, nap and read.

Head down to the garden level of the home to spread out and enjoy a second stacked-stone wood-burning fire place, comfortable seating and a gaming area with a pool table. A half bath completes the garden level of the the lodge.

When you are ready to head out and explore the 35 acres of property, review the maps to find your favorite trails and hiking locations.

Ready for a short road trip? Head to Yellowstone National Park, a short 35 minute drive to the North Entrance of the park. Explore downtown Livingston, Montana (15 minute drive) or Bozeman (45 minutes).
Guest access
The Shorthill Homestead Lodge is dedicated to our guests and offers complete privacy and luxury on the 35 acre estate.
Other things to note
History of Shorthill Homestead Lodge

This property is a small piece of the homestead of one of the original settlers in the Paradise Valley.

David Shorthill led a remarkable life that spanned many of the historical events of his time. His story is even more fascinating than the fictional Duttons of Yellowstone fame.

David Shorthill was born in 1831 in Pennsylvania, the son of Irish immigrants. After attending public schools he went to work at a local lumber camp at age 13. He then began working in the coal mines in Pennsylvania and Ohio and rapidly rose in the ranks to become a mine superintendent at a young age.

In 1849 at age 19, he married Margaret Richards, age 16, the daughter of Welsh immigrants. The first of their eight children, John Shorthill, was born in 1851.

Shorthill’s life began to take on a different course when he moved by himself to the Kansas Territory in 1856 for one year. At that time there was a national debate on whether new territories would allow slavery or not. It was left up to residents of the territories to vote on the issue.

Abolitionists back then would temporarily move to territories so they could vote against allowing slavery. There is no direct evidence that David Shorthill moved for that reason but it fits with what is known about the times. Kansas joined the union in 1861 as a free state.

After returning from Kansas, David left Pennsylvania yet again in 1858; this time for the gold rush at Pikes Peak Colorado. He returned to Pennsylvania once more in 1859 after he was apparently unsuccessful at striking it rich and resumed working as a mine superintendent.

The Civil war began in 1861 and David Shorthill became a recruiting officer for the Union Army in Pennsylvania.

In early August of 1862 he enlisted in the Union Army in the 125th Pennsylvania Volunteers and quickly thereafter fought in the second Battle of Bull Run.

On September 17th, a short 6 weeks after his enlistment, his unit then fought in the battle at Antietam, the bloodiest battle of the civil war. He suffered two bullet wounds and was left for dead on the battlefield but against all odds was able to make his way under his own power to an army hospital and survived his wounds. He then spent a long recovery and was eventually discharged from the army in 1863. The injuries from the war affected him for the rest of his life but certainly did not slow him down.

His civil war involvement then concluded when, as a civilian, he led a group of Pennsylvania volunteers who guarded Pennsylvania from a rumored attempt at invasion by General Lee of the Confederacy.

In 1864 he again left his family and went off in search of gold. This time he and several friends from Pennsylvania joined a wagon train headed west to the goldfields of Montana via the Bozeman trail.

Because of his previous experience on the frontier in both Kansas and Colorado, he was given a leadership role in the wagon train. His experiences on the trail to Montana included surviving a bear attack and meeting Jim Bridger.

The Frontier was not a safe place in 1864 and reportedly 3 members of the wagon train were killed by Indians enroute.

Bridger informed Shorthill and his friends that gold had been found at Emigrant Gulch on the Yellowstone river and he encouraged them to prospect there. The main wagon train went on to the gold fields at Bannack and Alder Gulch but Shorthill and his friends split off from the wagon train and went up the Yellowstone to Emigrant Gulch.