About the Flathead Valley

Tucked into the northwest corner of Montana, the Flathead Valley lies between Glacier National Park and Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi.

About Kalispell and the Flathead Valley

Kalispell is the largest town in the valley and the home of Flathead Valley Community College’s main Kalispell campus.

Kalispell is home to many local businesses, restaurants, and boutiques, in addition to chain restaurants and stores within walking distance of the college campus for convenience to those living in student housing.

Known as a mecca for the outdoors, Kalispell and surrounding communities of Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Bigfork, Lakeside, and Somers boast a vibrant community of active, passionate citizens.

Theater companies, live music, creative arts endeavors, museums, and cultural institutions abound in addition to recreational opportunities in northwest Montana’s four distinct seasons.

Hiking in Glacier National Park

Recreation

Flathead Valley is the western gateway to Glacier National Park, one of the jewels in the crown of the national park system. The valley also lies adjacent to more than 1.7 million acres of federal wilderness in the form of the Great Bear - Bob Marshall Wilderness complex. Other nature highlights include the National Bison Range and the Jewel Basin Hiking Area.

Conditions on the rivers and lakes of the Flathead Valley range from placid water of Ashley Creek to raging whitewater. Among the popular whitewater runs are the Middle Fork of the Flathead River near West Glacier, and the North Fork of the Flathead north of Columbia Falls.

Winter sports include skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, ice skating, hockey, and much more. Two ski areas in close proximity to the Kalispell campus include Whitefish Mountain Resort in Whitefish and Blacktail Mountain in Lakeside.

FVCC also includes the Lincoln County Campus, serving all of Lincoln County and located in Libby.

(Some information adapted from gonorthwest.com)