What is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River? At 28 miles (45 km) long, 15 miles (24 km) wide, 370 feet (113 meters) at its deepest point, and 124 miles (200 km) of shoreline, the answer is Flathead Lake in northwestern Mountain. In total, its nearly 200 square miles (518 square kilometers) provide plenty of space for the boater, sailor, swimmer, camper, and fisherman to engage in their favorite aquatic recreation. And for other recreationists, such as hikers and mountain bikers, the campgrounds, picnic areas, and trails scattered along the shoreline offer views of the lake and surrounding mountain peaks.
Flathead Lake, just under 3,000 feet (914 meters) high, occupies a basin that was swept away by a massive glacier about 12,000 years ago. The Flathead and Swan Rivers in the far north are the main streams that replenish the lake, while the Flathead River empties into the southwestern end of the lake in the town of Polson.
To get to Polson from the south, you will pass through the Flathead Indian Reservation occupied by the Salish (Flathead) and Kootenai tribes. The lake is named after the Flathead Indians, who got their name from the flat fronts they would get from their baby cribs. The southern half of the lake is within the limits of the reserve. To fish in the southern part of the lake, you will need a reserve fishing permit, which is available at the reserve or at sporting goods stores around the lake.
Polson is located on the Polson Bay shoreline and has several boating facilities, including the Sacajawea and Riverside public parks. Both parks also have picnic tables. Riverside has the added bonus of overnight camping with RV power hookups.
For those who wish to enjoy a narrated tour of the lake, the 41-foot (12.5-meter) Port Polson Princess takes passengers on sightseeing cruises every day from approximately June 1 to September 30 from KwaTaqNuK Resort. at Polson, at 49708 US Hwy. 93 E, Polson, MT 59860. Onboard guides are eager to point out notable landmarks along the lake shore and share their knowledge of the lake’s natural history. Four daily tours are scheduled, including a three-hour cruise to Wild Horse and Bird Islands and three one-and-a-half hour cruises. It is best to make reservations in advance by calling 800-882-6363.
One place to learn about the human history of the area is the Polson-Flathead Historical Museum, located at 708 Main Street, Polson, MT 59860. Their phone number is (406) 883-3049. Here, you are introduced to the pioneer era through exhibits such as a farmer’s kitchen, the ranch car (or chuck), military artifacts, and steamboat memorabilia.
Before the Great Northern Railroad reached the valley in 1892, steamboats did a thriving business transporting passengers and cargo to points along the lake shore. And don’t forget to gaze at the “Flat-headed Monster,” a 181-pound, 7½-foot-long (82 kilograms, 2.3 meters) white sturgeon captured in 1965. The museum does not charge admission, but they appreciate donations. .
South of Polson is the town of Pablo, Montana, where you can avail the services of Native Ed-Ventures, which provides visitors with a personal tour guide of local Native cultures and cultural events, such as pow-wows at the lake. His address is Box 278, Pablo, MT 59855, the telephone number is (800) 883-5344.
Heading north from Polson, you’ll reach Big Arm Bay and its Flathead Lake State Park units: Big Arm, Elmo, and, at the mouth of the bay, Wild Horse Island.
This is the largest island in Flathead Lake at 2,134 acres (864 hectares) and is in fact one of the largest islands in the interior of the United States. Privately owned before the state bought it in 1978-79, several private lots and houses remain on the island. Otherwise, the state has left the rest of the island as a desert.
It was named for the horses that the Flathead and Pend Oreille Indians kept there as protection against Blackfeet’s raids. To give the practice a current connection, Montana maintains a population of wild horses on the island.
In addition to the wild horses, the island is well known for its bighorn sheep, numbering around 200. Others of the hoof’s persuasion include the mule deer and the white-tailed deer. Among the predators by nature, bald eagles live and nest on the island and coyotes and minks forage for their food in the forests, plains and rocky shores. It is also home to the endangered Palouse prairie plant species.
Wild Horse Island is accessible for day use only by rental or private boat. Wild Horse and its southern neighbor, Melita Island, form a channel that local fishermen call “Mackinaw Alley” because of the lake trout that linger here at 100 feet (30 meters) and deeper depths. Fishing around the island, however, requires tribal permission.
The town of Somers, at the northern end of the lake, was a major port for steamboat traffic. One of the reasons was the huge sawmill that operated here in the early 20th century. Somers remains a key boating location, hosting the largest sailing fleet on this end of the lake, plus it is home to the Far West tour boat; (406) 857-3203.
The Far West carries up to 200 passengers on daily one-and-a-half-hour cruises that sail the north end of Flathead Lake. You can also enjoy a sunset cruise on the lake on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. They are located at 7220 US 93 S, Lakeside, MT 59922, the phone number is (406) 844-2628.
For a side trip from Flathead Lake, head north from Somers for seven miles on Highway 93 and you will arrive in the fully serviced town of Kalispell. Stock your pantry here from supermarkets, gas stations, shopping centers, restaurants and other businesses.
Once that’s done, you can pay tribute to the founder of this bustling city by visiting the Conrad Mansion six blocks east of Main on 4th Street. Charles E. Conrad built this 26-room Norman Victorian style in 1895, and in 1974 his youngest daughter donated it to the city. Fully furnished with original family belongings, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the most authentic turn-of-the-century home in the Pacific Northwest.
While in Kalispell, you can also obtain recreational information for the 2.3 million acre (930,777 hectares) Flathead National Forest at the main office, 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell, MT 59901. You will find the Montana Department of Fisheries, Life office. Wilderness and Parks and its state park information at 490 North Meridian Road, Kalispell, MT 59901, (406) 752-5501.
On your way back to Flathead Lake, take Highway 82 north of Somers and head east toward Bigfork. Keep an eye out for osprey nest platforms that game officials have set up on telephone poles just off the road. Osprey eggs hatch in mid-June and the chicks are ready to test their wings in late July.
This is also the time to enjoy the Flathead area’s most prized delicacy: the blueberry. Blueberry season can actually last through Labor Day at higher elevations and some people claim that these later berries are the sweetest of all. The National Forest lands around the shores of Flathead provide the best places for berry picking, but the state lands also have berries for picking. Ask at the National Forest and State Park offices in Kalispell for the best locations. In bountiful years, you may be able to buy blueberries at farmers markets, some grocery stores in the area, and some roadside stalls.
The good place to try canned blueberries is Bigfork. Take Grand Avenue into the city and turn right on Electric Avenue; look for Eva Gates Preserves on the right.
Eva Gates started her blueberry business in 1949 using her grandmother’s recipe, and they still put preserves with the same recipe in the same small batches. They also make cranberry jelly and syrup. In addition to blueberries, Eva Gates also makes canned cherries, spiced apple, strawberries, raspberries, black tapas (which is a kind of raspberry), and many types of syrups.
Just south of Bigfork, on the lakefront, you’ll find Montana’s most popular state park, Wayfarer. With 30 campsites, a boat ramp, and a beach, the state park is a starting point for aquatic recreation. At the far end of the picnic area, a rocky outcrop dotted with junipers provides a vantage point of the lake.
South of the Wayfarer on Highway 35, you’ll pass roadside stands that might sell blueberries in season. But, about the same time that wild blueberries come in, so do bing cherries. The east shore of Flathead Lake has most of the valley’s cherry orchards and most of the fruit stands. Some gardeners also grow raspberries, strawberries, apricots, pears, and grapes.
In the middle of this country of orchards, you will find the oldest biological station in the country. In Yellow Bay, researchers at the University of Montana study the lake’s freshwater fish and habitat, including the lake (up to 30 pounds), the killer, Dolly Varden, and rainbow trout, as well as the Kokanee salmon, the perch, white fish and sea bass. The station is open to visitors. Coincidentally, the deepest point on Flathead Lake, at 370 feet, is at Yellow Bay, which is also the site of the state park with a boat ramp and beach.
Between wild blueberries and land-grown cherries and lake trout, salmon, and sea bass, you can really get a taste of the West’s largest natural lake: Flathead.
Flathead Convention and Visitors Bureau: http://www.fcvb.org
KwaTaqNuk Resort and Casino at the southern end of Flathead Lake: http://www.kwataqnuk.com/