Life in Northwest Montana

Flathead County is the second largest county in the State of Montana. It has a population of 94,924 people living in an area of 5,255 square miles. (That's 18 people per square mile.)   Part of Glacier National Park lies in Flathead County including our home from May to September.

While there are many people we love in the east, and there is lots of beautiful country in the east, Pamela and I must admit that we're happiest when we're at Glacier.  We start to get a bit giddy when we first see the Rocky Mts in the distance.  That's when we start singing John Denver songs about the Rocky Mountains and Montana. By the time we turn north from Missoula we are sitting on the edge of our seats. When we see the sign for West Glacier we know that we're almost home.

The view from our campsite at Sprague Creek

For the first half of the season we live and work at Sprague Creek, about 11 miles into the park. We would love to stay at Sprague Creek for the entire season but the couple who have the other half would like to have our half.  For the first 12 weeks we live along the shore of Lake McDonald and take care of the 25 site campground that is 95% tent camping - no trailers or big RVs allowed. We have no internet, telephone or television. Even the satellite companies can't provide services. Firstly we're so far north that we can't aim a dish at the satellite without hitting a mountain. Secondly, even if we could around the mountains the forest canopy is so dense that nothing penetrates. We love it!

Tourist area of West Glacier

We try to leave the park no more than once or twice a week.  We have a Sunday morning breakfast with fellow hosts at a restaurant in West Glacier.  The most part of West Glacier, population 233, doesn't open until Memorial Day. The old village, originally named Belton, is open year around.  We will do our laundry when we're "in town" for Sunday breakfast. When we go shopping, need a vet or other services, we go to Columbia Falls, population 4,796. It is about 45 miles from us and is the closest of the three "big" towns in the area - Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Kalispell. There is a small community of Hungry Horse (population 826) where there is a grocery store, but it is very limited.

Columbia Falls

Actually Columbia Falls has two nice grocery stores where we can get just about anything we want.  Well, they don't have ocra. The vet who did Teddy's surgery in 2014 was in Columbia Falls and we really liked her. The town has three really good restaurants. One is actually a coffee shop - The Montana Coffee Company - and has one of the best offerings of vegetarian entrees anywhere.

If we need to go to a large store to get tires, Home Depot, pieces for the trailer, a Walgreen pharmacy or camping equipment and supplies we go to Kalispell, the county seat. Kalispell is about 65 miles from us and has a population of 20,972 making it the 7th largest city in Montana. Actually Billings at 104,170 is the largest city in Montana and still only 58% the size of Evansville, IN.  Oh, yes, I have to admit that Kalispell has a Walmart, but we don't hold that against it.

Hungry Horse about 20-25 miles from us.

For things like books, a great bicycle shop and anything touristy the best place is Whitefish, a ski resort town of 6,649 people. It is also the location of our nearest Ram dealer and hospital.  Another tourist town is Big Fork near the north end of Flathead Lake. Flathead Lake is the largest lake in Montana. Big fork is where we go at least once a season to enjoy summer stock theater.

We like almost everyone we meet who lives here year around.  There are a lot of transplants. The population of the entire State of

Main Street, Whitefish, MT   

Montana is less than 1 million people. Few of our friends and colleagues are actually from the area. We do, however, know three Rangers who went to school together in the North Fork - the most remote of this remote area.  Among the rest the joke is -  first day here you see the sights. Second day here you see the realtor.

  When the lights go out at night there is no city's glow in the distance. There's nothing but the Milky Way or perhaps the Northern Lights.  Our nearest neighbors are bears and mule deer. We get along well with our neighbors. Yes, it's true. We live in one of the most remote areas left in the United States. Isn't that marvelous!?

Kalispell, MT. 

Northern lights over Lake McDonald.