Flathead Lake
Flathead Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the United States west of the Mississippi. It is 28 miles long, and five miles wide. The southern half of Flathead Lake and the surrounding area is part of the Flathead Indian Reservation of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
Flathead Lake is nestled within two valleys, the Flathead Valley on the northern half, and the Mission Valley on the southern half. Mountains surround the lake. To the east are the Swan Range and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. On the west side, the Salish Mountains offer views of the majestic Mission Mountains. And to the north, beyond the Flathead Valley, lies Glacier National Park
The highways offer an 80-mile trip around the perimeter of the lake, with just a few miles where the lake isn’t visible. From the junction of Highway 93 and Highway 35 just south of Polson, the east shore route going north hugs the lake. The hills and mountains rise up from the other side of the road. The scenic Finley Point State Park located on the Finley Point peninsula is the first state park on the east shore. Along the winding drive, remarkable bays and inlets appear, and in the summer, fruit stands selling fresh fruits and Montana’s famous cherries. Next, Yellow Bay State Park and Wayfarer’s State Park followed by Bigfork, known for its galleries and summertime plays, and where the Swan River meets Flathead Lake. Outside of Bigfork, head west to hook up to the west shore. Take a short drive through farmlands, before the town of Somers appears, and the junction of Hwy 93 South.
The west shore route around Flathead Lake is more of a hillside ride, which offers fantastic views of the lake. The city of Lakeside is the northern launching point for boaters and water-skiers. West Shore State Park and Big Arm State Park complete the circle of parks around Flathead Lake. The 2,165-acre Wild Horse Island State Park is located on the lake just offshore from Big Arm. At the southernmost point of Flathead Lake, Polson has several swimming beaches and a golf course with a view of the lake and mountains. From Polson, the Flathead River pulls away from the lake toward Kerr Dam and popular rafting and fishing areas.
Whether your starting point is Polson, Bigfork, or Lakeside, or one of the many state parks, Flathead Lake is ideal for watersport enthusiasts. With its great size there is plenty of room to accommodate fishing boats, sailboats, motorboats, jet-skiers, water-skiers, and wakeboarders. A lazy afternoon can be spent floating on the lake, touring the Wild Horse Island, or picnicking on the shores of the lake. Just northeast of Flathead Lake is the entrance to Glacier National Park, and northwest is the popular Big Mountain Ski area in Whitefish and the city of Kalispell.
Glacier National Park
The United States designated this land in northwest Montana as the county’s 10th National Park. That was in 1910. It is called Glacier National Park. To the north, the same land, separated by an invisible border, is called Waterton Lakes National Park. In 1931, the Rotary Clubs of Alberta, Canada and Montana campaigned for the union of the two parks to symbolize peace and friendship between the two countries. In 1932, the Canadian and U.S. Governments voted to establish the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Since then the parks have received two more international designations – as Biosphere Reserves and a World Heritage Site.
The tribes of the northwest made their home near and in the site of what is now Glacier National Park, the Blackfeet on the eastern prairies, and the Salish and Kootenai in the western valleys. Fur trappers came in the 1800s to search for beaver. Miners came later in a fruitless search for gold. As the westward settlements increased, the tribes were forced onto their designated reservations – the Blackfeet Indian Reservation is adjacent to the east end of the park. The Flathead Indian Reservation of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes is southwest of Glacier.
The completion of the Great Northern Railway in 1891 opened the area to more visitors and homesteaders. In the late 1890's, visitors to Belton (now West Glacier) would disembark from the train, take a stagecoach ride to Lake McDonald, and board a boat across to the Snyder Hotel. There were no roads in the mountains, but the lakes allowed boat travel into the wilderness.
After the park was created, there was a rush to build roads, and housing for the rangers, and park offices. The Great Northern Railway contributed hotels and small chalets throughout the park. Even so, travel on horseback took days. The need for roads was imminent and the construction of the Going-to-the-Sun Road over the 6,646-ft high Logan Pass began. The 52-mile road bisecting the east-west routes opened in 1932 and is now a National Historic Landmark, an engineering feat, and a scenic marvel. The Going-to-the-Sun Road and scenic overlooks reveal the beauty of Glacier National Park's forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, and lakes. Hikers enjoy the 700 miles of trails. The pristine whiteness of the snow – the glistening blues of the lake waters – the pure blue Montana Big Sky presents a striking contrast and is definitively Glacier National Park.
Glacier National Park is open daily. Winter weather may affect the opening and/or hours of the visitor facilities. Late May to early September is the busy time and all facilities are open. The rest of the year facilities and services may be limited. The Going-to-the-Sun Road is fully open usually late May or early June. Other park roads usually open in May. Ten miles of the Going-to-the-Sun Road (from West Glacier to Lake McDonald Lodge) are maintained in the winter to provide access to winter recreation at the lake.
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
On June 25, 1876, United States General George Armstrong Custer led the 7th U.S. cavalry into one of the most significant battles in America. What has become known as “Custer’s Last Stand” was the Battle of the Little Bighorn. President Grant had sent Custer to the Montana Territory for the purpose of returning the Native Americans to the reservations. Members of the Lakota (Sioux), Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho Nations were resisting confinement to their designated reservations and were instead camping out near the Little Bighorn River. When Custer arrived, he led an impromptu and ill-advised charge into battle.
By the end of the battle, Custer and more than 200 soldiers and horses lay dead on the battlefield defeated by the Indian warriors. In 1879, the battlefield was designated as Custer National Cemetery. A memorial was placed on Last Stand Hill in 1881, over the mass grave of the soldiers, U.S. Indian Scouts, and attached personnel killed in battle. In 1940, control of the battlefield was transferred to the National Park Service. For decades it stood as Custer Battlefield National Monument.
The singularly mono-cultural approach to the monument, which seemed to memorialize only the cavalry and not the tribes was changed in 1991.The name was changed to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument and the need for a memorial to the Indians was finally recognized. The memorial stands to honor the men who stood and fought in their “last stand” against their loss of freedom, land, and way of life.
The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is open year round. It is located in southern Montana near Crow Agency on the Crow Indian Reservation.
Yellowstone National Park
The home of Old Faithful is the nation’s first national park, Yellowstone. Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park straddles three states, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. The park is known for its rich heritage embodying the western frontier. Within the park, wildlife roams free – grizzly and black bears, wolves, pronghorn, moose, elk, and bison. The distinctive feature of Yellowstone National Park are the geysers and hot springs, which draw over 3.7 million visitors each year, making it one of the biggest vacation destinations in the northwest.
Yellowstone National Park is 3,458 square miles on a high plateau (level region) that is surrounded by mountain ranges. The park also has the highest concentration of geysers and hot springs – about 3,000 – more than exist elsewhere in the world. The most famous geyser, Old Faithful, shoots a fountain of water anywhere from 100-180 feet into the air approximately every 75 minutes. (Times actually vary.) The geysers and hot springs, along with the fumaroles and mudpots, are evidence of volcanic activity.
The Yellowstone Lake is the largest in the park and from it flows the Yellowstone River. The Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River can be seen from scenic overlooks. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River runs through the north end of the park. This amazing canyon features a 300-ft waterfall and the walls display the variations of all the colors of the spectrum. Yellowstone National Park is the site of some petrified (fossilized) forests. Over the years, mineral deposits from the geysers have turned the trees into stone.
Activities at Yellowstone National Park include site-seeing, camping, hiking, bicycling, boating, and fishing. Visitors may attend the many Ranger-led programs. Junior Ranger programs are available for kids age 5-12. Popular attractions to visitors within the park are Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, Fountain Paint Pot, Midway Geyser Basin, Mud Volcano, and more.
The Albright Visitor Center is open year round. The Old Faithful and West Yellowstone Visitor Centers are open April through November, with over-snow vehicle only access the rest of the winter, The other visitor centers, information stations, and museums are open late May through late September. The North Entrance in Gardiner, Montana is the only entrance open (subject to weather) in the winter to wheeled vehicles. Entrance to the park and exits must be made from the Montana entrance.