Last month, Flathead Lake Lodge was nominated to be included in the “10 best dude ranches across the country for 2023” in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice awards. First things first, we were grateful to be among the ranks of other incredible guest ranches across the country. We know firsthand how many amazing dude ranches there are, especially in the West. From Arizona in the south to Montana in the north, our landscapes are dotted with ranches, all offering their own distinct experience.

Horses heading out to pasture at our Montana dude ranch.

After being nominated by a panel, the 10Best Awards take it to a vote. Over several days, folks cast their vote for their favorite guest ranch and at the end of the contest, Flathead Lake Lodge snagged the number six spot…here’s what USA Today had to say.

“The terms “luxury” and “rustic” may not often be paired, but they’re fitting descriptions of Flathead Lake Lodge. This lovely ranch situated in the foothills provides an all-inclusive vacation that’s family-friendly to its core. It spans 2,000 acres, giving guests the advantages of its lakefront location with activities like sailing, canoeing, wakesurfing, stand-up paddleboarding and lakeside campfires. On land, there’s horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking on offer.”

To the folks who nominated us and those of you who voted for us in this contest, thank you! We’re delighted that you love this place as much as we do and are so glad that you are part of the Flathead Lake Lodge family. It’s our privilege to share the legacy, lifestyle and magic of this place, year after year.

Until next time,

Chase

PS: if you’re interested in visiting the ranch in Bigfork, Montana, this summer, we have a handful of weeklong stays available, as well as our spring and fall adults-only adventure retreats. Give us a call at 406-837-4391.

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

For a variety of reasons, vacation plans have changed for many this summer. And as trips have been rescheduled and priorities for family vacations have changed, we’re happy to share that we have openings for this summer and that Flathead Lake Lodge has taken many steps to ensure the safety of our guests, employees and community.

The boats are ready to take guests out on Flathead Lake.

As of June 1, 2020, Montana entered the second phase of our reopening plan and the 14-day quarantine on out-of-state travelers was lifted.

For this summer, Flathead Lake Lodge is opening for the season on Sunday, June 21 and guests, as always, will enjoy weeklong stays at our guest ranch on the shores of Flathead Lake. While things will look slightly different this year, we’ve been working behind the scenes to make sure that we can provide peace of mind with an authentic, unforgettable family vacation on our 2,000 acres of terrain, which breaks down to one person per every 10.5 acres (including our full-time staff, seasonal staff and weekly guests).

The patio at the Main Lodge.

A few things you can expect on a summer vacation to our Montana guest ranch:

-Activities, programs and ranch spaces have all been evaluated and occupancy for all spaces has been adjusted to make sure that adequate space is available for all of our guests.

-For breakfast, lunch and dinner, we’ve added additional seating areas and have spaced the tables to provide for social distancing. For all dining experiences, we have implemented a “we serve you” policy. Plus, all self-service areas will served by a Flathead Lake Lodge staff member.

-To ensure that public traffic to the ranch will be limited, we are not taking individual public sailing reservations this season. The only folks who will be on our horseback trail rides, sailing vessels and more will be guests of the ranch.

-We’ve always been big of washing our hands around here, but this year we’re taking it a step further and adding both handwashing and hand sanitizing stations throughout the ranch.

-You’ll see friendly faces making their way through all public spaces during your stay, as we have a dedicated employee who will be continually cleaning and sanitizing all high-traffic areas of the ranch. We’re also ramping up sanitation practices throughout the ranch, including horseback rides, shuttle vehicles, mountain biking and more.

-All of our employees and staff have gone through training practices that will help ensure that we meet all standards in sanitation, hygiene, social distancing and more (you can read the full plan here). We’re also recording and logging the health and temperature of all employees at a health station each day. In addition, upon arrival, all guests will be temperature screened.

A family horseback ride on the lodge’s 2,000 acres.

As we’ve taken several steps to ensure the safety and well-being of our greater Flathead Lake Lodge family, we also want you to have the opportunity to vacation as a family, soak up plenty of Montana moments and have a wonderful experience. (See a sample itinerary here.)

For more information about available dates for this summer, call Jodi at 406-837-4391 or email us at info@flatheadlakelodge.com.

Until next time,

Chase