Happy December, from Flathead Lake Lodge. While the ranch is bundled up and cozy this time of year (while also welcoming guests to our winter seasonal restaurant, Quarter Circle), our full-time staff are here at the ranch getting things prepped and ready for 2026 and our 81st season.

If you have Montana on your mind, we’d love to invite you to consider a getaway at our ranch. Of all the places to stay in Bigfork, Montana, we offer something a little different: all-inclusive weeklong summer stays on the shore of Flathead Lake.

With our ranch’s 2,000 acres of terrain, this place is best described as a summer camp for families. For 2026, our family season kicks off May 31, while our final family week wraps up September 6.

If you’re looking for available dates for 2026, we have a handful of openings sprinkled throughout the following weeks:
-May 31-June 7
-June 7-14
-June 14-21
-June 21-28
-June 28-July 5
-August 9-16
-August 16-23
-August 23-30
-August 30-September 6

And while it’s hard to nail down the best part of the ranch for families, here are a few things we love: the relationships/friendships that are build among guests, watching folks set out on horseback trail rides with our experienced wranglers, Wednesday night steak fry and the peace that comes from allowing yourself to unplug, relax and reset at our home along the shore of Flathead Lake.

If you’re interested in getting away to a Montana guest ranch this summer, get in touch here or call us at 406-837-4391.

Happy trails,
Chase

Here in Montana, we’re occasionally gifted with the Northern Lights…and while we don’t see them often, every time we do it’s a spectacular experience. Last week, a solar storm caused the Northern Lights to be on full display in our neck of the woods, including right here are Flathead Lake Lodge. Our staff, from Bigfork to Swan Lake and beyond, stepped outside and snagged photos of the Northern Lights from their perspectives.

Here’s a peek at some of what was lighting up Montana’s sky.

Grateful to call Montana home and to have unfiltered views of our night sky, every day of the year.

-Chase

This year at Flathead Lake Lodge, we’re celebrating our 80th anniversary. And while they say that time flies when you’re having fun, it’s almost hard to believe that our family has been at the helm of this place since 1945.

Founded by Grandpa Les Averill and located on the shore of Flathead Lake in Bigfork, Montana, our all-inclusive guest ranch has seen a lot over the years.

But through it all, one thing has remained the same – Flathead Lake Lodge is a family tradition. Doug was raised here at the ranch, and he and his wife Maureen raised their three kids Chase, Lane and Quindee here as well. Following in his family’s footsteps, Chase (who is the third generation general manager) and his wife Kate are also raising their children here, just steps from the Main Lodge. And while we don’t know it for certain, we think Grandpa Les would be proud to see his great grandkids being raised here at the ranch.

Doug and Maureen Averill on horseback in Bigfork, Montana.

To celebrate the anniversary, we asked guests to share some of their favorite memories.

Here are a few of those…

“July 1986 I was fortunate to win a trip to your lodge. I had a great time…congratulations on 80 years.” -Pat W.

“We had our high school final party there, great memories! Thanks to your family from class of 85.” -Kelly D.

“One of our favorite vacations. Beautiful. Delicious food. Excellent staff. Relaxing but plenty of options and great for families.” -Catherine R.

“This is our 5th year at Flathead Lake Lodge and it was another wonderful week, The staff is friendly, helpful and fun. The food more than ample and tasty. Everyone from Grampy to the grandchildren had a terrific time. There is always something to do, new people to meet and the great scenery to enjoy. A drink on the patio before dinner is the perfect way to relax after a day at the ranch, Love Flathead Lake Lodge!” -Jean L. 

From our family to you, thank you for being part of our story for the last 80 years. We look forward to seeing you this summer or down the trail.

-The Averill Family

Last month, our crew left the snow-covered landscapes of Montana and headed to the sun for the annual Dude Ranchers Association Convention.

It’s an event we attend ever year where we get to rub elbows with other ranchers and take away key learnings and best practices. This year we took home something a little different, as Doug and Maureen Averill were inducted into the Dude Ranchers Association Hall of Fame. In true Doug fashion, he dedicated the award to Maureen.

To Doug and Maureen (or as we like to call them, Dad and Mom), thank you for taking such good care of this place. Thank you for raising me, as well as my brother and sister, to work hard and be kind. It’s an honor to carry on the tradition of Flathead Lake Lodge and I’m proud to be the third generation of our family to manage this ranch.

The award seems especially fitting this year, as 2025 marks our 80th anniversary. Founded in 1945 by Grandpa Les Averill, Flathead Lake Lodge is the epitome of a family tradition. Doug was raised right here at the ranch, and in turn raised our family at the ranch, too. And in true Averill family tradition, Kate and I are raising the fourth generation right along the shore of Flathead Lake.

With sincere gratitude and appreciation,

-Chase

Here at Flathead Lake Lodge, we’ve hung our hats in Bigfork, Montana, since 1945. While there are several guest ranches throughout the United States that offer traditional Western experiences – like horseback trail rides – we’re the only place that combines a traditional dude ranch experience with a lake vacation. Our nearly 2,000 acres of Montana sit on the shore of Flathead Lake, which is the largest natural freshwater lake in the West. With our location on the lake, our guests have easy access to abundant water activities, from sailing to water sports and boat cruises.

And as Flathead Lake can play a large role in your ranch vacation (if you want it to), here are five things to know about our ranch’s backyard, Flathead Lake.

1. It was carved by ancient glaciers. 

Just like Glacier National Park was named for ancient glaciers that created its hanging valleys and jagged peaks, Flathead Lake was also carved out by massive glaciers that moved through the area known today as the Flathead Valley. What they left behind: a lake with an average depth of around 165 feet and a deep point that is just under 371. It’s 27 miles long and 15 miles long.

2. Flathead Lake rarely freezes. 

With its massive depth, length, width and constantly moving water, the lake rarely freezes in its entirety. However, it still does! 2019 was the last time the lake was completely frozen.

3. You can sail in Montana on Flathead Lake. 

While sailboats may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Montana, when you drive around Flathead Lake you’ll see sailboats cruising its waters. Due to the lake’s size and location, it creates its own ecosystem which includes winds that lend well to sailing. Here at the ranch, we’re fortunate to have two historic Q-class racing sloops – the Questa and Nor’Easter – from the late 1920s. Captain Scott is at the helm of our sailboats; see him in action here.

4. The water is CLEAN. 

One of the reasons our sailboats are in such amazing shape is because of the lake’s clean waters. Fed be glacial melt and snow runoff from the Flathead and Swan rivers in  Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, the lake fully flushes its water approximately every 2.5 years. In comparison, the waters of Lake Tahoe take 650 years to fully flush.

5. It has dozens of islands. 

Due to its size, it’s no surprise that Flathead Lake is home to a variety of islands. Some are public lands, while others are privately owned. The largest island on the lake is Wild Horse Island. In addition to some private properties, the island has a day-use state park. Wild Horse Island State Park encompasses 2,160 acres and has hiking trails, a beach and – you guessed it – a herd of wild horses. It’s accessible by boat or kayak.

If you’re ready to come play on our lakeside guest ranch, let us know. You can also learn more here or call our office at 406-837-4391.

Happy trails,
Chase

Here at Flathead Lake Lodge, we’ve been a family tradition since 1945. With our location on the shore of Flathead Lake in northwest Montana and with nearly 2,000 acres of terrain, our guest ranch has plenty of room to soak up Big Sky Country.

And while we’ve been welcoming families for generations – as well as raising our own families here at the ranch – we were delighted to be named a winner in Good Housekeeping’s 2024 Family Travel Awards. Listed as a “Milestone Vacation Spot,” we were included under Unforgettable Adventures & Attractions.

Here’s what Good Housekeeping had to say…

“If you’re planning a trip with the extended family to celebrate a milestone anniversary, birthday or graduation, we have three words: Flathead Lake Lodge. Open May through October, the family-operated, all-inclusive guest ranch truly facilitates family bonding through its seemingly never-ending lineup of activities that you sign up for when you arrive for the week. (It also helps that the guest rooms don’t have TVs.) Although there isn’t an official camp, the supervised kids’ activities, broken down by age group, run morning to night. Well-planned meals, stellar service and a stunning lakeside location make this a true gem. Plan to stay in the area a few extra days to explore nearby Glacier National Park.”

And if you’re curious about what the tester thought, here’s a glimpse into the ranch in her own words.

“Every activity is outstanding,” said our reviewer, who visited with her parents, daughter and nephews and tried mountaintop yoga, horseback riding and flower-arranging class among many other things. “It’s so family-oriented and communal and everyone in our group had the best time, even my dad, who hates everything.” She also thought the food was delicious, noting “I loved that they had wine pairings with every dinner and that the kids had a separate meal and meal time if they wanted but could also eat with adults if they preferred.”

If you’ve been thinking about planning a family trip to Flathead Lake Lodge, we’d love to see you at our family-owned and -operated guest ranch.

During the summer, we offer weeklong stays (check in on Sunday, check out the following Sunday), while we also have a variety of packages in spring and fall. This spring, we have a new family-focused spring adventure package. Slated for May 29-June 2, 2024, it’s designed for the whole family with activities that include breakfast rides, horseback trail rides, archery, boat cruises, guided hikes, guided mountain biking, tours through the on-site elk preserve, yoga, music, steak fry and a barn dance.

Want to read more? Check out the awards here. In other exciting news, be sure to grab a copy of the January/February print issue of Good Housekeeping to read more about the ranch.

Until next time – happy trails,

Chase

Each year, we hire staff for the summer season and we’re happy to share that job openings for 2024 are live! If you’ve been considering spending a summer working in Montana, we invite you to apply to work at Flathead Lake Lodge, our family-owned and -operated all-inclusive guest ranch.

There are various departments and jobs that are open for the year, from working with horses to our kids program. A few of note: barn, children’s program, dining room, gift shop, grounds crew, guest services, housekeeping, kitchen, marketing, outdoor pursuits and waterfront.

If you’re curious about what it’s like to work at a guest ranch resort, we invite you to watch the video below and hear it about it directly from our staff.

And if you know someone who may be a good fit for Flathead Lake Lodge and our core values of fun, please share this link (or this blog post!) with them.

Until next time,

Chase

While many visitors to Montana come during the summer months, here at Flathead Lake Lodge we’re also big fans of spring. The lake is beautiful, the ranch is starting to welcome various shades of green to our meadows and lawn, birds are migrating, the days are getting longer and the surrounding landscapes are accented by snow-covered mountains.

And while summer gets most of the glory in our corner of Big Sky Country, we wanted to share six of our favorite things to do in Montana during the spring from a local’s point of view.

1. Bike the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park.

Truth: our backyard national park is beautiful year-round. But in the spring, while road crews are working on removing snow from the Going-to-the-Sun Road, it’s also closed to vehicular traffic and instead is accessible by foot or bike. Make plans to pedal up the road – you can bring your own or rent bikes at a number of places in the Flathead Valley – and see the park from a different perspective. Good to know: carry bear spray, water and food, as services are limited during spring. Get the latest info on the park here.

2. Raft the Flathead River.

Raft trips start on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River in the spring (they run from May – September) with half-day and full-day options. If you’re a guest at the ranch during one of our adults-only packages or the summer, you have the option to add rafting onto your stay as an offsite experience.

3. Visit Flathead Lake.

While the water in the lake is freezing this time of year – it’s fed by glacial runoff and snowmelt – it’s also beautiful. Plus, the sunrises aren’t quite so early this time of year which means you have a solid chance of catching the early-morning colors that cover the lake.

4. Explore Bigfork.

We know we’re partial since Bigfork is where we hang our hats, but a stroll through downtown is nothing but pleasant during the spring. Shop owners have their doors open and it’s a cheery atmosphere no matter where you go, from local restaurants to watering holes or the Swan River Nature Trail.

5. Visit the National Bison Range.

Sitting a one-hour drive south of our Montana guest ranch is the National Bison Range in Charlo. During spring, you’ll be able to see plenty of birds and wildflowers, as well as bison calves that are typically born between mid-April and mid-May. If you want to drive through the entire range, you’ll take Red Sleep Mountain Drive, a 19-mile-long one-way road, but keep in mind that it doesn’t open until mid-May. You can access West Loop and Prairie Drive anytime of the year. Insider tip: never approach wildlife.

6. Take a road trip.

From Bigfork, you can do a complete loop tour around Flathead Lake on U.S. Highway 93, Montana Highway 82 and Montana Highway 35. At times you’ll hug the shore of the lake, while at others you’ll be given a higher bird’s-eye view of the lake.

If you’re looking to see more of Montana, one of our favorite loop tours takes us over to the Rocky Mountain Front and back up to Bigfork. We suggest traveling north to Glacier and taking U.S. Highway 2 along the southern border of the park, connecting with U.S. Highway 89 (time it right and you can see thousands of birds at Freezeout Lake) before cutting closer to the mountains on Highway 287. From there, loop back up to Bigfork on Highway 200 and cruise up Montana Highway 83 through the Seeley-Swan Valley and back to Bigfork.

During spring at our guest ranch, we offer specials and deals – including our adults-only packages that can be easily combined with any of above-mentioned activities and an Early Summer Package that runs from June 2 – 6 – to help our guests make the most of Montana’s secret season.

If you’d like to learn more, call us at 406-837-4391 or visit our website.

Until next time, happy trails.

-Chase