This charming lakeside community is the trading center for one of Montana s most fertile farming areas. In a prime cherry growing region and home to numerous cherry orchards, Polson celebrates with an annual Cherry Festival.
This is one of North America's largest islands, at 2,163 acres. It is now being preserved as a Wilderness Area. Wildhorse Island is home to many species of wildlife, horses among them. It is widely believed that Salish and Pend d'Oreille tribes brought horses to the island first. They hid their horses on the island to keep the Blackfoot tribes from taking them during raids. In 1977, the Bureau of Land Management brought wildhorses back to the island again. Bighorn sheep were brought to Wildhorse Island as a tourist attraction, but the herd grew so much that many had to be relocated.
Bird watchers love the island because it is home to a great number of species. Among the birds found on the island are a variety of ducks, swans and geese, red tailed hawk, bald eagle, and many small songbirds. There is a wonderful variety of bird and wildlife species to be found everywhere around Flathead Lake.
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Finley Point
Finley Point is hidden away in a conifer forest. It is located near the south end of Flathead Lake. There are campsites here, and some of them have boat docks. This area is a good place to fish for yellow perch and lake trout.
Finley Point is about 11miles north of Polson on Montana Highway 35. In addition to camping and fishing, Finley point also has picnic sites, a swimming area, and boat launch.
Flathead Lake
There s lots of room to play on Flathead Lake. Located just south of Kalispell, the largest
natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi is 28 miles long and up to 15 miles wide.
That translates to 188 square miles of pure enjoyment. The lake s sparkling waters and miles
of tree-lined shore offer unlimited recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat. This
playground has something for everyone.
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Glacier National Park
The Flathead Valley is the magnificent gateway to the west entrance of Glacier National Park a park so naturally beautiful it is known as the Crown Jewel of the Continent . Glacier was established largely through the influence of railroad magnate James J. Hill, who envisioned a North American tourist destination, comparable to the Swiss Alps, for travelers on his Great Northern Railway.
Visitors to Glacier National Park enjoy the park s 1 million acres of lakes, sweeping valleys and glacier carved mountains. Glacier is 40 miles wide from east to west, and 50 miles long north to south.
A complete suite of wildlife that includes wolves, grizzly bears, lynx and other natural predators sets Glacier apart from nearly every other national park. Glacier has 272 bird species, 63 different mammals, 23 fish species, five types of amphibians and three types of reptiles.
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White Water Rafting
Whitewater rafting adventures vary from a half-day to several day overnight adventures. Experienced
and novice rafters can find the rafting experience they are looking for on the beautiful and
scenic rivers of the Flathead Valley. Some rafting companies also provide guided fly-fishing
trips with the most experienced guides in the area. The rafting guides and fishing guides
delight in sharing their knowledge and love of this beautiful area, and do so with a large dose of good old fashioned Montana hospitality.
Glacier Symphony and Chorale
The Glacier Symphony is a full regional community symphony orchestra performing classical series,
holiday, and pops concerts each season (October through July) with world-class and emerging guest artists.
Alpine Theatre Project
The Alpine Theatre Project is Montana s only professional Equity summer theatre led by artistic
Directors Betsi Morrison (Broadway's Sound of Music), David Ackroyd (Broadway's Children of a
Lesser God), and Luke Walrath (Broadway's 42nd Street). It brings theatre professionals and
productions fresh off the boards of New York and other major cities to perform in the beautiful Flathead Valley. Performances take place at the O Shaughnessy Cultural Arts Center in Downtown Whitefish.
Hockaday Museum of Art
A fine arts museum housed in a turn-of-the-century Carnegie Library building listed on the National
Registry of Historic Places, the Hockaday Museum of Art in historic downtown Kalispell features a permanent collection and rotating exhibits focusing on the art and culture of Montana and artists of Glacier National Park.
Area Golf
With nine public courses offering challenging layouts and unique golfing experiences, it s no
wonder visitors to Montana s Flathead Valley often bring golf clubs along with fishing poles
and camping gear. Named to Golf Digest s top 50 Golf Destinations in the world based on
courses, service, transportation, setting, quality accommodations, travel to and around
the destination, and value, Flathead Valley golf has it all.
Call the Flathead Valley Golf Association's
central reservation number, to advance book tee times at any of these nine
courses: Eagle Bend,
Meadow Lake,
Big Mountain,
Polson Country Club, Glacier View, Mission Mountain,
Buffalo Hill,
Village Greens
and Whitefish Lake. Just dial 1-800-392-9795 for tee time
reservations, further information on golf packages, or accommodations
Monday-Friday, 9 am - 5 pm (MST).
Area Fishing
Fishermen love the Flathead Valley! Flathead Lake and the three forks of the Flathead
River are well known. But there are also smaller lakes and streams just waiting for
your boat, fly or lure.
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Area Skiing
Whitefish Mountain Resort
(Big Mountain Resort)
Located in the old railroad town of Whitefish, 60 miles (90 km) south of the Canadian border, Big Mountain caters to skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels. Famous for its uncrowded slopes, snow ghosts, abundant snowfall and unsurpassed views, Big Mountain is among the 10 largest ski resorts in the U.S. offering 3,000 skiable acres, 93 marked runs and thirteen lifts including two high-speed quad chairlifts. The resort is consistently ranked in the Top 30 North American Ski Resorts by SKI Magazine.
Blacktail Mountain
In driving to the mountain top, regardless of whether you are an expert or novice skier/snowboarder, everyone starts at the top on Blacktail Mountain. Views from Flathead Lake to Glacier Park and of the Mission, Whitefish and Cabinet Ranges surround. On this "upside-down hill" you have a top to bottom run in before riding a chair!
There s nothing better than exploring the natural splendor and the spectacular
beauty of the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park on foot. Glacier National
Park s Going-to-the-Sun Road serves as a 52-mile trailhead for more than 700
miles of groomed hiking trails.
Montana offers a wide range of camping possibilities, from Private Campsites with
swimming pools to primitive areas with limited facilities. Public Campsites are
available in most National Forests and State Parks. Developed sites usually
contain a parking spur, table, fireplace, toilets, and water. Many require a fee.
Montana s State Parks are among the Treasure State s best-kept secrets. Montana State Parks vary in experience so choose your adventure by selecting a Cultural, Historical, Recreational, Native American, or Natural park.
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The Flathead area is a true dining experience. As an added bonus, many restaurants feature locally grown fruits, vegetables, meats, grains and organic greens on their menus. At night, be sure to take in the cool downtown scene with western bars and an eclectic mix of music and entertainment year-round.
The Flathead Valley offers a variety of shopping options from the Kalispell Center Mall to unique shops and one-of-a-kind boutiques in Bigfork, Whitefish, and Kalispell.
Glacier Park International Airport,
AMTRAK and highways – We can boast that we have one of the finest
and most modern airports in the country. Our runway, beautiful passenger terminal and traffic control
systems were recently upgraded to be able to handle almost any commercial aircraft in the air today.
We are currently served by 4 major airlines, with direct jet service to the main hubs and metro areas.
One of AMTRAK’s busiest stations is in Whitefish, with daily service to
Seattle and Minneapolis. Several major US highways criss-cross our area, providing an excellent ability
for people to drive to and from “The Last Best Place”.
Finley Point is hidden away in a conifer forest. It is located near the south end of Flathead Lake. There are campsites here, and some of them have boat docks. This area is a good place to fish for yellow perch and lake trout.
Finley Point is about 11miles north of Polson on Montana Highway 35. In addition to camping and fishing, Finley point also has picnic sites, a swimming area, and boat launch.
There s lots of room to play on Flathead Lake. Located just south of Kalispell, the largest
natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi is 28 miles long and up to 15 miles wide.
That translates to 188 square miles of pure enjoyment. The lake s sparkling waters and miles
of tree-lined shore offer unlimited recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat. This
playground has something for everyone.
The Flathead Valley is the magnificent gateway to the west entrance of Glacier National Park a park so naturally beautiful it is known as the Crown Jewel of the Continent . Glacier was established largely through the influence of railroad magnate James J. Hill, who envisioned a North American tourist destination, comparable to the Swiss Alps, for travelers on his Great Northern Railway.
The Alpine Theatre Project is Montana s only professional Equity summer theatre led by artistic
Directors Betsi Morrison (Broadway's Sound of Music), David Ackroyd (Broadway's Children of a
Lesser God), and Luke Walrath (Broadway's 42nd Street). It brings theatre professionals and
productions fresh off the boards of New York and other major cities to perform in the beautiful Flathead Valley. Performances take place at the O Shaughnessy Cultural Arts Center in Downtown Whitefish.
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