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The Go Hike With Mike Trail Guide
Table of Contents
- Basic Hiking Equipment:
- Grizzly Bears
- Permits
- Towns around Flathead Lake
There are many towns around Flathead Lake that at not included in this section. This section includes only towns that will offer up services for your vacation. Towns listed on this list include recreational, lodging, dining and other services you will be looking for when planning your vacation. This section will contain on how and who to talk to when planning your Flathead Lake vacation. Towns in this section are listed in alphabetical order.
· Big Arm
· Bigfork Montana
o Outdoor Recreation in Bigfork
o Dining in Bigfork
o Lodging in Bigfork
o Trails closest to Bigfork
· Dayton Montana
· Elmo Montana
· Finley Point Montana
· Lakeside & Somers Montana
o Lodging in Lakeside/Somers
o Dining in Lakeside/Somers
o Recreational Activities in Lakeside
· Polson Montana
o Recreational and Outdoor Activities in Polson
o Dining in Polson
o Lodging in Polson
· Woods Bay Montana
Campgrounds around Flathead Lake: Public & Private Campgrounds around Flathead Lake.
Campgrounds in the National Forest
· Public and Private Campgrounds located in the National Forest.
· Campgrounds
The Go Hike With Mike Trail Guide
Hiking in the National Forest: Trailheads
Swan Front Trailheads : Area from Columbia Mtn south to Six Mile (Swan Lake Area)
Beardance Trail #76 | Broken Leg Divide Trail #353 | Camp Misery Trail #68 | Crane Mountain Trail #314 | Crater Notch Trail #187 | Echo Broken Leg #544 | Estes Lake Trail #96 | Flathead Lake Interpretive Trail #77 | Noisy Creek Trail #8 | Peters Ridge Trail #37 | Peterson Creek Trail #293 | Phillips Trail #373 | South Lost Creek Trail #86 | Strawberry Lake Trail #5 | Switchback Trail #725
Mission Mountains Wilderness Area: The Mission Mountains Wilderness is bordered by the Salish- Kootenai tribal wilderness; please contact 406-675-2700 for regarding access and use.
Cedar Lake Trail #738 | Cold Lakes Trail #121 | Crystal Lake Trail #351 | Elk Ridge Trail #301 | Glacier Creek Trail #690 | Hemlock Feeder Trail #695 | Hemlock Lake Trail #607 | Hemlock Peak Trail #515 | Jocko Trail #34 | Piper Lake Trail #119 | Turquoise Lake Trail #708
Jewel Basin Hiking Area: The Jewel Basin Hiking Area is a unique 15,000 acre hiking area maintained exclusively for hiking and camping.
Alpine Big Hawk Trail #722 | Birch Lake Trail #724 | Blackfoot Lake Trail #719 | Camp Misery Trailhead | Clayton Creek Trail #420 | Graves Creek Trail #1 | Mt. Aeneas Trail #717 | Picnic Lakes Trail #392 | Pioneer Ridge Trail #71 | Tongue Mtn. Trail #55 | Wheeler Creek Trail #64
Hungry Horse Area Trails: The Hungry Horse Trail System is located south of Glacier National Park, and borders the Continental Divide to the east and the Flathead Valley to the west.
Alpine Trail #7 | Baptiste Lookout Trail #63 | Columbia Mtn. Loop Trail #51 | Doris Creek Trail #295 | Doris Ridge Trail #52 | East Skyland Trail #251 | Elkcalf Mtn. Trail #252 | Fawn Creek Trail #309 | Flossy Creek Trail #49 | Forest Creek Trail #410 | Jimmie Ridge Trail #297 | Lion Lake Trail #611 | Puzzle Ridge Trail #264 | Walk With Larch Trails | Wildcat Mtn. Trail #242 | Wounded Buck Trail #57
Camping in the national forest
Camping in Glacier View Ranger District: The Glacier View Ranger District borders the western edges of Glacier National Park, with the North and Middle Forks of the Flathead River separating the two areas. This district provides critical habitat for grizzly bears, moose, gray wolves, and bull trout. Glacier View Ranger Station is located 22 miles northeast of Kalispell, MT and 10 miles south of Glacier National Park.
Big Creek Campground | Moose Lake Campground | Red Meadow Lake Campground | Tuchuck Campground
Camping in the Hungry Horse Ranger District: Located near the western boundary of Glacier National Park and northeast of Flathead Lake, the Hungry Horse Ranger District contains the Hungry Horse Dam and Reservoir – a popular recreation site and important nesting habitat for bald eagles. The district also contains a portion of the Jewel Basin Hiking Area, the Middle and South Forks of the Flathead River, and the Great Bear Wilderness. Hungry Horse Ranger Station is located 22 miles northeast of Kalispell, MT and 10 miles south of Glacier National Park.
10 Hungry Horse Drive Hungry Horse, MT 59919. | 406-387-3800
Devil Creek Campground | Devil’s Corkscrew Campground | Doris Creek Campground | Emery Bay Campground | Graves Creek Campground | Handkerchief Lake | Riverside Boating Site | Lakeview Campground | Lid Creek Campground | Lost Johnny Campground | Lost Johnny Point Campground | Murray Bay Campground
Camping in the Spotted Bear Ranger District: The Spotted Bear Ranger District contains the Spotted Bear River, Great Bear and Bob Marshall Wildernesses, and the South Fork of the Flathead River. It is a popular destination for water recreation, fishing and hunting. Northern access to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex is gained near the Spotted Bear Ranger Station. Spotted Bear Ranger Station is located 55 miles south of Hungry Horse.
Beaver Creek Campground | Peter’s Creek Campground | Spotted Bear Campground
Camping in the Swan Lake Ranger District: This district contains the headwaters of Swan River, a portion of the Mission Mountain Wilderness, the Swan Mountain Range, and part of the Jewel Basin Hiking Area. Boundaries for the district lie along Flathead Lake and the Flathead Indian Reservation. The Swan-Clearwater Divide is an area used by grizzly bears as a travel corridor between the Mission Mountains and the Swan Mountain Range. The Swan Lake Ranger Station is 20 miles south of Kalispell, on the eastern shores of Flathead Lake in Big Fork, Montana.
The Go Hike With Mike Trail Guide
Holland Lake Campground | Lindbergh Lake Campground | Swan Lake Campground
Camping in the Tally Lake Ranger District: Located north of U.S. Highway 2 and west of Highway 93, the Tally Lake Ranger District is abundant with lakes, rivers, and streams including the lake of its namesake. Streams within this district are considered important spawning areas for westslope cutthroat trout, the Montana State Fish. Tally Lake Ranger District Office is co-located with the Flathead National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Kalispell, MT.
Ashley Lake North Campground | Ashley Lake South Campground | Sylvia Lake Campground | Tally Lake Campground | Upper Stillwater Lake Campground
OHV Trails in The National Forest
Hungry Horse Ranger District: Garry Lookout Spur Trail #499A | Garry Lookout Trail #499
Hungry Horse Area Trails
The Hungry Horse Trail System is located south of Glacier National Park, and borders the Continental Divide to the east and the Flathead Valley to the west.
Alpine Trail #7 | Columbia Mtn. Loop Trail #51 | Doris Creek Trail #295 | Doris Ridge Trail #52 | Lower South Fork Trail #1155 | Skyland Road G Trail #569G | Skyland Trail #569.1
Spotted Bear Ranger District
Beaver Creek Campground | Gorge Creek Trailhead | Meadow Creek Trailhead | Silvertip Trailhead
Swan Lake Ranger District
Blacktail Wild Bill ORV Trails #917, 918, 919 | Estes Lake Trail #96 | Peters Ridge Trail #37 | South Fork Hemler Creek Trail #20 | Strawberry Lake Trail #5 | Sixmile Lookout Trail #10 | Sixmile Sidehill Trail #27 | Wire Trail #78
Public Recreation and Fishing Access Sites
Fishing License & Permit Applications
· Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Permit Process
· Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes Permit Process
· Game Species Present in Flathead Lake
The Southern Half of Flathead Lake and the Flathead Nation
Additional Recreational Opportunities near Flathead Lake
Hiking Trails and Public Access to Flathead National Forest
Fishing License & Permit Applications
· Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Permit Process
· Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes Permit Process
· Game Species Present in Flathead Lake
Flathead Lake Preservation Organizations
Around the Mission Valley and Flathead Indian Reservation:
Pablo National Wildlife Refuge
Ninepipe Wildlife Refuge
Credits and Sources
Website: