About Flathead County
Pristine wilderness. Incredible recreational opportunities. Flathead County borders Canada along the northwestern region of Montana. It encompasses spectacular Flathead Lake and magnificent Glacier National Park. But there’s more to the area than the great outdoors—a variety of bustling communities offer students a great quality of life. And our solid partnerships with organizations in our region provide our students with even more opportunities.
Communities.
Kalispell is the central retail and business center of Northwest Montana. You’ll find interesting art galleries in Bigfork and Whitefish, along with daily Amtrak service to Seattle/Portland. Historic buildings characterize the quaint downtown area of Columbia Falls. Take in a Montana sunset while enjoying lakefront dining in the charming town of Lakeside. As members of the local Chambers of Commerce, we stay closely tied to the area business communities and provide input on various committees that make a difference in the lives of residents.
- Kalispell Area Chamber of Commerce
- Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce
- Whitefish Chamber of Commerce
- Bigfork Chamber of Commerce
- Lakeside/Somers Chamber of Commerce
Culture.
Experience live music venues, summer festivals, area museums and visual and performing arts in a thriving cultural scene among the cities in the county. Award-winning artists and outstanding musicians and performers are drawn to the area. As a result, you’ll discover great activities, such as Kalispell’s Arts in the Park, the Bigfork Festival for the Arts and the Picnic in the Park outdoor concert series. Bigfork was designated “One of the 100 Best Small Art Towns of the Nation.”
Dining.
There’s a variety of fun and delicious coffee houses, restaurants and cafés in the area. Gather with friends at Moose’s Saloon in Kalispell for pizza and peanuts in a real Old West atmosphere. Savor various locally brewed coffees with your buddies at Montana Coffee Traders in Kalispell, Whitefish or Columbia Falls. Jam to live music on Flathead Lake at The Raven in Woods Bay. Experience Sinatra singing chefs at Mambo Italiano or satisfy your late night munchies at the Red Caboose in Whitefish. Indulge in an old fashioned burger, fries and milkshake at historic Norm’s News in Kalispell.
Nature.
Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness and two of Montana’s finest ski and summer resorts make Flathead County one of the main destination spots in Montana. You can take advantage of more than 1,000 miles of trails for biking, hiking and snowmobiling.