Flathead Lake Lodge

And just like that, our seasonal winter restaurant – Quarter Circle at Flathead Lake Lodge – is back open for its second year in Bigfork, Montana. We’re delighted to be back, with Chef Rob and Loretta at the helm, for another winter season.

For our second season, we’re offering dinner – as well as happy hour – on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Plus, new for this year: Sunday brunch.

Here’s a peek at this year’s hours:
Thursday-Saturday: 4-9 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Happy Hour: 4-5 p.m., Thursday-Saturday

Our 2025-2026 Quarter Circle menu features as many local Montana-sourced ingredients as possible, including proteins and grains. And while our menu changes based on what ingredients are available, you can take a peek at our sample dinner and brunch menus here. Examples of dinner menu items include pork ravioli, oysters mignonette, smoked trout salad, scallops and range beef steak frites. Our brunch offerings include a variety of pancakes, chicken and waffles, biscuits and gravy and eggs benedict. There are several gluten-free and dairy-free options available, too.

A few other things you should know about dining at our Bigfork restaurant:
-Reservations are accepted, walk-ins are welcome
-We’re open December 4, 2025-March 29, 2026
-Our bar and fireside lounge are walk-in only
-Quarter Circle is located inside the Main Lodge, which means it’s a restaurant on the water and is a stone’s throw from the shore of Flathead Lake.

Want to learn more? Check out our FAQ page.

From us to you, we look forward to seeing you at Quarter Circle this winter.

Cheers,

Chase

While we know you’re most familiar with Flathead Lake Lodge as an all-inclusive guest ranch, we’re delighted to share that this winter we’re opening a seasonal restaurant inside the Main Lodge. Meet Quarter Circle Restaurant.

We’ve had the restaurant in the works behind the scenes for a bit and we’re happy to have it officially share it with you! Chef Rob – who has been with us for over six years – is at the helm of the restaurant. For our inaugural season, the menu showcases Spanish-style tapas, colorful flavor-packed salads and delicious entrees, with many of the ingredients being locally sourced.

The restaurant came about as a way to connect with our community and offer something new for locals and winter visitors. We open December 5 and will have dinner service Wednesday-Saturday evenings. We look forward to sharing a new type of culinary and dining experience with you and can’t wait to break bread with you at Quarter Circle Restaurant this winter.

For the latest information, be sure to follow Quarter Circle on Facebook.

Cheers,

Chase

For the second year in a row, we’re excited to open the doors to the ranch early with our Locals Nights at Flathead Lake Lodge – Spring Dinners.

This year’s dinners will be offered six nights: May 9, 10 and 11 and May 16, 17 and 18. Per usual, Chef Rob is pulling out all the stops and has custom created four-course prix fixe menus for each weekend. This year, guests can also opt to add on a four-course wine pairing.

Here is what’s on deck for this spring:

May 9, 10 + 11

Course one: quinoa, tillett, kaniwa, amaranth, teff, poblano, blood orange

Course two: russett potato, surryano ham, smoked sherry aioli

Course three: duck breast, butternut squash, wild rice, apricot, broccolini, bourbon deme glace

Course four: Basque cheesecake

May 16, 17 + 18

Course one: burrata, garlic scape, heirloom tomato

Course two: halibut, red pepper nage, carolina gold, rice grits, succutash

Course three: roast chicken breast, potato, maitake, sauce grand mere

Course four: apple strudel

Need to Know

Tickets: $90 per person, including gratuity

Optional add-on of four-course wine pairing: $40 per person

Happy hour starts at 5:15 p.m. (cash bar), followed by dinner service at 6 p.m.

From our ranch family to you, we invite you to join us to celebrate spring in Montana. Tickets are available and can be purchased here.

See you soon,

Chase

For more than 75 years, Flathead Lake Lodge has been part of the Bigfork, Montana, community. As one of the town’s largest employers and oldest businesses, we take our responsibility to community service and stewardship seriously.

Every season, we commit to contributing 1% of all accommodations revenue to the Flathead Lake Lodge Community Fund. Over the past five years, we have awarded more than $35,000 and look forward to continuing this tradition. We love this community and want it to continue to be the amazing place it is for years to come by partnering with you to make Bigfork even better.

Interested in applying? Complete and return this application no later than November 15, 2023.

From our family to you, thanks for your application.

-The Flathead Lake Lodge family

Here at Flathead Lake Lodge, we specialize in all-inclusive stays and family traditions. Founded in 1945, we’ve been delivering high-quality vacations for nearly 80 years. And while we’ve been offering all-inclusive stays for decades, we realize that there are some elements to this type of vacation that folks aren’t familiar with.

With that in mind, here are 9 things to know about an all-inclusive vacation at our ranch resort in Montana.

1. You can do nothing or everything.

A vacation at Flathead Lake Lodge is just that – a vacation. How you choose to spend your time at our home in Bigfork, Montana, is entirely up to you. You can be busy from sunrise to sunset with abundant activities. Or you can unwind, relax and lounge to your heart’s content by our lakeside pool. This is your vacation and we want you to treat it as such.

2. Once you arrive, you don’t open your wallet until you check out.

After you check into your accommodations at our Montana guest ranch, you won’t need to pull your wallet or credit card out to pay for drinks, dinner, transportation or activities. You won’t need your wallet until you’re ready to hit the road for home. (If you opt to do off-site guided activities, there are additional fees to those outfitters.)

3. High-caliber food and drinks are included.

While we might be biased, we know a good thing when we see one. And Chef Rob is a good thing. He’s been with the ranch for over five years and brings his culinary talent to every meal you have while you’re here at the ranch. Plus, he works with as many local purveyors and farmers as possible to ensure that your dining experience includes as many Montana-grown or Montana-made items as possible. Rounding out our culinary offerings are Pastry Chef Bri and our talented team of mixologists. Needles to say, you won’t go away hungry or thirsty. And if you have dietary restrictions or allergies? Our culinary team can accommodate you.

4. Everything you need is here. But if it’s not, we can get it for ya. (Or take you to get it.)

We have amazing employees and if you ask any one of them for something, chances are you’ll get it and you’ll get it quickly. But, if on the off-chance that we don’t have what you need, we can run to town and grab it for you or we can take you into Bigfork to snag it.

5. We’ve got mountains. And we’ve got water.

One of the elements that helps set Flathead Lake Lodge apart from other guest ranches is the wide array of what we have to see, do and experience. While we’ve got horseback trail rides through our nearly 2,000 acres of terrain, we also sit on the shore of Flathead Lake, which means there are a plethora of water-based activities to enjoy during summer in Montana.

6. Vast array of activities and things to do.

Whether you prefer land-based adventures (like horseback trail rides, guided hikes, mountain biking or touring our on-site elk preserve) or water activities (like sailing, wakeboarding, stand-up paddleboarding and swimming), you’ll find robust activity offerings when you stay at Flathead Lake Lodge. We also have a well-rounded kids program that’s broken down by ages, with experienced staff to supervise.

7. Two types of stays – family and adults-only.

Summer at the ranch is all about weeklong family stays and with our abundant offerings and private accommodations, Flathead Lake Lodge is ideal for family vacations and multigenerational family bonding. And while summer is focused on the kids, each spring and fall we turn the ranch into a get away that’s just for the grown-ups with our adults-only adventure retreats. It’s basically summer camp, but for adults, in the best way possible.

PS: we also offer corporate retreats, special events and destination weddings. More here.

8. Everything is included, making it a value vacation. 

There’s a huge value that comes with an all-inclusive stay. Our 2025 adult rates start at $6,286 for cabins and suites, and $5,103 for lodge rooms. And while we realize that could come with some sticker shock, that includes EVERYTHING. Your meals, your drinks (including alcoholic beverages), accommodations and all activities, from horseback trail rides to a mountain meadow steak fry and Pinzgauer tours to sailing in our 1920’s historic sailing sloops.

9. Room to breathe.

Our lakeside guest ranch has nearly 2,000 acres of pure Montana that runs from the shore of Flathead Lake up into the Swan Mountains behind the ranch. What this means is that you get breathe in as much of Montana as possible. The lodge grounds are beautiful and are home to a variety of landscapes, making it easy to find your own quiet corner of Big Sky Country right here at Flathead Lake Lodge.

If you’ve been thinking about an all-inclusive vacation, we’d love to visit with you more about Montana’s Flathead Lake Lodge. You can email us or call our office at 406-837-4391.

Happy trails,

Chase

 

 

 

We’re kicking off our 2023 season with something new – Locals Nights at Flathead Lake Lodge.

Before we fully open the doors to the ranch for our weeklong stays, we’re opening the Main Lodge for four nights: May 5, 6, 12 and 13. Each evening, Chef Rob will be whipping up a four-course prix fixe menu with wine pairings.

Here’s an overview of what to expect…

May 5 + 6

The four-course menu includes endive salad, prawn and grits, chicken and dumplings and apple strudel, with wine pairings served with each course.

May 12 + 13

This weekend’s menu features potato leek salad, crab cake, pork osso bucco and tiramisu, also served with wine pairings.

What Else You Need to Know

Tickets: $90 per person, which includes gratuity.

Happy hour starts at 5:30 p.m. (cash bar), followed by dinner service at 6:30 p.m.

From our family to you and yours, we’d love to welcome you to our historic Main Lodge to enjoy an evening of mouth-watering culinary dishes and perfectly paired wine. Tickets are available now and can be purchased here.

See you soon,

Chase

2022 Flathead Lake Lodge Community Fund

Thanks for all you do to help make Bigfork a wonderful place to call home.

-Chase

Our 2022 summer season is firmly underway and we’ve been welcoming guests to the ranch’s 2,000 acres from near and far. While every week is special at Flathead Lake Lodge, there’s always a little something extra about our Fourth of July week. Our fireworks show combined with the Fourth of July Parade in Bigfork – not to mention the rodeo – always brings the heat. Plus, many of the guests have been coming to the ranch during this week for around 30 years, which means it’s jam-packed with longtime friends, memories, multiple generations and all sorts of fun.

Here’s a look at this year’s Fourth of July festivities…

May freedom always ring. With gratitude,

Chase

There are certain times in life that change you. Moments in a crazy year that mold, inspire and leave you feeling more grateful that you could have ever imagined. And for us, this year that moment was a Week of Hope.

For the second year in a row – in partnership with HopeKids – we welcomed critically ill children and their families to Flathead Lake Lodge. And as fate would have it, this was done (for the second time in a row) in the middle of a pandemic. And for those few days, it was like nothing else existed. All that mattered was welcoming those families to this place that seemingly has some sort of magic to it.

While I was born and raised on the ranch (and am now raising my own family here), I never tire of seeing guests soak up our Montana way of life, and that’s never truer than when we’re joined by families during a Week of Hope. While Grandpa Les isn’t with us at the ranch anymore, his spirit is still here and the legacy he built – one made up of hard work, ingenuity and his commitment to treating people with kindness – lives on and shines a little brighter during this week.

As always, we could not (and do not) bring this event to life on our own. There are so many people who work behind the scenes to make a Week of Hope happen.

To our families – your determination, dedication and love of life is something that we felt honored to see and be a part of. Thank you for trusting us and allowing us to be part of your memories. To our staff, you’re one of the best parts of this place. As you do week in and week out, I had the pleasure of seeing your commitment not only to your jobs, but to the families you welcomed with open arms as you worked hard to ensure they left feeling better than they came. To each and every volunteer who played a part, you do not go unnoticed and the gratitude we have for you in matchless. And to our donors – a big thank you for the generosity you have in making this event come to fruition.

From the Averill family, we’re humbled, grateful and privileged to be a part of this with all of you and are looking forward to a Week of Hope 2022.

-Chase

If you’ve been to Flathead Lake Lodge, you know that we sit on the shore of Flathead Lake — the largest natural freshwater lake in the West. And while we often make mention of how lucky we are to have our guest ranch on Flathead Lake, we may not tell you enough about this place.

At 28 miles long and about 15 miles wide, Flathead Lake covers nearly 200 square miles and has 185 miles of shoreline.

Here are 12 things you probably didn’t know about Flathead Lake...

1. Flathead Lake is the 79th largest natural lake on the planet.

2. The water quality of Flathead Lake is one of the cleanest in the world. This can be credited to the lake being fed by waterways that are full of snowmelt from Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex.

3. Much like its friend to the north Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake was carved out by massive glaciers that moved through the area during the Ice Age.

4. Due to its sheer size, Flathead Lake often creates its own weather patterns and during storms, you’ll see whitecaps form on the lake as winds rage across it.

5. Flathead Lake is home to HUGE fish. For example, the lake trout caught on Flathead Lake average about 8 pounds, but many of them tip the scales at larger weights.

6. You can drive all the way around the lake. It will take a few hours, but is hands-down one of the most beautiful drives around. You’ll largely take U.S. Highway 93 and Montana Highway 35.

7. There are public access sites all around the lake, including state parks, fishing access sites and parks.

8. Abundant recreation takes place on the lake. A few of note: sailing, kayaking, jet skis, boat cruises and fishing.

9. Here at the ranch, we take about 550 sails a year on the waters of Flathead Lake, most often on our two historic 51-foot Q-class racing sloops — the Questa and the Nor’Easter. They were both built in the late 1920s and are an important part of the Flathead Lake Lodge family and history.

10. Due largely to its sheer volume, Flathead Lake rarely freezes over during the winter, although you will find ice along the shorelines and in various bays around the lake. The last time the entire lake froze all the way was more than 30 years ago.

11. Flathead Lake creates an ideal environment (that is a bit milder that other places in Montana) for growing fruit. As you drive around the lake, you’ll see all kinds of orchards along the shoreline that grow cherries and in the summer, you can pick local cherries up at a roadside stand.

12. Flathead Lake is home to numerous islands, including Wild Horse Island. The largest island on the lake around 2,160 acres, Wild Horse is a day-use state park that’s home to all sorts of wildlife, including wild horses.

Learn more about our guest ranch on the shores of Flathead Lake at FlatheadLakeLodge.com.

Until next time, happy trails and adventuring.

-Chase

 

A lot changed in 2020. Family vacations were cancelled, birthdays were celebrated at home, many folks spent time on the computer virtually attending dance recitals, connecting with family over Zoom and revising their plans. And most of all, we missed each other.

Here at Flathead Lake Lodge, we’re looking forward to 2021 and beyond, and we’re certain that good things are on the way…things like hugging friends, attending school music programs and vacationing with the ones you love the most.

When it comes to planning a multigenerational family trip, we know you have lots of options to choose from. And as you think about what kind of vacation you want to experience, here are five reasons why Flathead Lake Lodge is an ideal multigenerational family vacation.

1. All-inclusive stay.

At Flathead Lake Lodge, every stay is all-inclusive, meaning that the cost of your stay includes activities and experiences (like guided horseback trail rides, sailing on Flathead Lake, swimming in our heated swimming pool, daily arts and crafts), as well as all meals, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.

2. Activities the whole family can enjoy.

During your time at the ranch, you’ll be able to experience as many (or as few) of our activities as possible. And with more than 30 activities to choose from, every person in your multigenerational group will find something that fits their needs and interests. Plus, our staff at the lodge works hard to create an environment and setting where your family will naturally be able to spend time together and reconnect, like an afternoon sailing adventure, a fly-fishing lesson, an evening beach fire, team penning competition and more.

3. Robust youth programs.

A big part of a family stay at the lodge is kids being able to explore the ranch safely, while making friends, experiencing life at our Montana guest ranch and making memories. During the summer season, our family program is something we focus on, with well-rounded offerings for children of various ages. Activities are offered for kids 0 – 6 years old, 6 – 12 years old and teens. Explore offerings for all ages here.

4. Private lodging options.

On our 2,000 acres, we have a few lodging options to choose from, including historic lodges with private rooms (with a shared great room) and cabins that have one to three bedrooms. When it comes to setting up where your family of all ages will be sleeping, you can have more alone time by choosing one of our private cabins or selecting a room configuration that places you all in one of our three lodge buildings.

5. Accessibility.

One of the elements that makes Flathead Lake Lodge ideal for a family trip of all ages is how accessible it is, in terms of getting around, selecting activities for various experience/comfort levels and more. If you have some folks in your family who want more adrenaline-pumping action, they can set out on our 10+ miles of mountain biking trails (with a guide) or try their hand at wakeboarding. If there are others that prefer a more low-key adventure, they can take a guided hike, a boat cruise or a guided tour of our onsite elk preserve. After your family gets their kicks in with our activities, you can all come together for a sailing excursion, a team penning competition or mouse races.

To learn more, visit us at FlatheadLakeLodge.com or call us at 406-837-4391.

Happy trails,

Chase