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