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Kalispell, Montana

Located in northwest Montana between Whitefish, Glacier National Park, and Flathead Lake; Kalispell is the perfect basecamp for your next adventure.

Top Spots in and near Kalispell

  • Flathead County, Montana

    Snowshoe the North Fork Area of the Flathead River

    1.5 mi / 0 ft gain
    Starting in Columbia Falls, MT, which is 17 miles from Kalispell, MT, locate North Fork Road off of Railroad Street. Follow North Fork Road about 17 miles. While along the Flathead River, there are many Forest Service roads that are accessible to snowshoe along. There are roads that lead to the F...
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  • West Glacier, Montana

    Swim at the Belton Bridge

    2.0
    The Belton Bridge is the old entrance to glacier. You can get there by turning right down old river bridge road, which is the first right when you turn in to the West Glacier village. There are some 5-8 ft rocks to jump off, but be sure to check the water below them first. The water is gorgeous, ...
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  • West Glacier, Montana

    Capture Sunrise or Sunset at Lake McDonald

    5.0
    Lake McDonald doesn't offer the close-up views of glaciers and mountains like some of the other spots in Glacier NP, but it does offer sweeping views of park's west side. The most popular spot to photograph this grand perspective is along the southwest beach and dock. The dock makes the most in...
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  • West Glacier, Montana

    Kayak Lake McDonald

    5.0
    Rent kayaks at the shore of Lake McDonald and take them out for the day. Make sure to start early to get a full day in and leave yourself enough time to stop for lunch. There are multiple places to pull off and bring your kayaks onto the shore and do some small hikes. The views are spectacular fr...
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  • West Glacier, Montana

    Snowshoe Skiumah Trail

    1.9 mi
    The trailhead for Skiumah Creek Trail is located just off of highway 2, and is well marked from both directions of the road. It is roughly 15 miles East on Highway 2 from the West Glacier Entrance of Glacier National Park. Parking is located on the other side of Highway 2 than the actual trailhea...
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  • Bigfork, Montana

    Hike to Bond Lake

    5.0
    11.6 mi / 2300 ft gain
    From Kalispell, head south towards Swan Lake along Highway 83 until a sign for Bond Creek Trailhead is located on the east side oft the road near mile marker 71. Turning onto Forest Service Road #680 and after 1.5 miles, turning on FS Road #9507, the trailhead will be 2.3 miles after the intersec...
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  • Essex, Montana

    Hike to Dickey Lake

    5.2 mi / 1463 ft gain
    *Parking for this hike is very limited, as the parking area can hold one, maybe two, vehicles.  This 5.2 mile roundtrip hike begins near Essex, Montana, at 4,620 feet of elevation, and leads to a small, hidden lake nestled in the Great Bear Wilderness. Immediately after leaving the parking area, ...
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  • Flathead County, Montana

    Hike Glacier View Mountain

    5.04 mi / 2880 ft gain
    Driving north from Columbia Falls, MT for 20 miles, park after the junction of the Camas Road and the North Fork Road. This parking area is directly after the junction on the east side of the road and the trail begins on the west side of the road.The beginning of the trail is started with many sw...
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  • West Glacier, Montana

    Hike to Howe Lake

    4 mi / 240 ft gain
    The hike begins along the Inner North Fork road across from a small parking area. The trail meanders up a slight incline most of the way through areas of a recent fire, as well as some areas with spectacular wildflowers when it gets a bit more lush. Around 1.7 miles in you will go up a relatively...
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  • Flathead County, Montana

    Hike Demer's Ridge

    7.47 mi / 3420 ft gain
    This trail is a point to point, so two cars are necessary. The ending point is where Camas Rd intersects the North Fork Road at the Blankenship Bridge. The starting point for the hike is at Demer's Pit. Driving 22 miles from Columbia Falls, MT, make your way to the parking spot, Demer's Pit. From...
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  • Essex, Montana

    Cross Country Ski at Izaak Walton Inn

    The Izaak Walton Inn was established in 1939 to accommodate workers and visitors from the rapid expansion of the Great Northern Railway. Conveniently built near Highway two, it is a short drive from both the West Glacier and East Glacier Entrances. If driving from West Glacier, continue on Highwa...
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  • West Glacier, Montana

    Backpack to Lincoln Lake

    16.75 mi / 3747 ft gain
    It's a 1600 ft slow increase in elevation. You can walk around the loose rocks going around the lake for an additional 2 miles of hiking. There is a back-country campground at the base of the glacier-fed lake and an amazing waterfall at the opposite end of the of the campground. To camp overnig...
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  • West Glacier, Montana

    Camp at Sprague Creek Campground on Lake McDonald

    4.5
    Ten miles long and nearly 500 feet deep, Lake McDonald, the largest lake in Glacial National Park. Sprague Creek is a small 25-site campground on the northeast shore of the lake, about 9 miles from the west entrance of the park. Campsites are on a first-come, first-serve basis and fill up early....
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  • West Glacier, Montana

    Backpack to Logging Lake

    8.8 mi
    Backcountry camping is the best plan if you’d like to visit Logging Lake, and the primitive campsites lay at the end of a four and a half mile hike through some of the most unspoiled sections of the park. The trail follows logging creek most of the way to the lake traversing through a variety of ...
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  • West Glacier, Montana

    Hike to the Mt. Brown Lookout

    5.0
    The trail is accessible (though sometimes covered in snow) year-round because the trailhead lies in the lower elevation area of the park. It begins at the Sperry Trailhead, located directly across the street from the lake McDonald Lodge. Follow the Sperry Trail for 1.6 miles until you reach the M...
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  • West Glacier, Montana

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

    5.0
    50.65 mi / 5036 ft gain
    Every Spring (May - June) Going-to-the-Sun road remains closed to cars long after the snow has been plowed and melted. However, just past the Lake McDonald Lodge a sign declares the road open to Hikers and Bikers, providing one of Montana's best adventures.  Follow Going-to-the-Sun Road in from ...
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