Category: Flathead Indian Reservation

The wonderful thing about Western Montana’s Glacier Country is that traveling from one place to the next is always scenic and there’s an adventure around every bend. With the region divided into nine travel routes, you’ll find unique Montana experiences no matter where you roam. Here’s a list of fun and noteworthy facts about each […]

November is Native American Heritage Month, and here in Glacier Country—the traditional, ancestral territory of the Amskapi Piikani, Kootenai, Séliš, and Ql̓ispé people—we honor the significant contributions, unique traditions and diverse cultures of the tribes and Indigenous people who live here today. Here’s how you can, too.    1. Visit an Indian Reservation Montana is home […]

For our latest Western Montana Spotlight, we had the opportunity to speak with the director of the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas in Arlee, Montana. The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas is set in one of Montana’s most tranquil settings—the Jocko Valley. Visitors can stroll through the public park, botanical garden and Buddhist center evoking enlightenment […]

Visiting an American Indian reservation in Western Montana is a special experience, and we must all do our part to recreate responsibly no matter where we roam. Here’s how to be a responsible and respectful traveler while enjoying the communities, great outdoors and fresh mountain air of the tribal lands in Glacier Country. Respect Tribes […]

Looking for a getaway that truly has you getting away? These lesser-known, small-town gems are some of Western Montana’s best-kept secrets. Big Arm Experience Montana lake life on the “big arm” of Flathead Lake along the scenic Flathead Corridor. Big Arm is your ticket to breathtaking lake views and Wild Horse Island exploration. Recreation abounds […]

Explore the rich heritage of American Indians and time-honored traditions like pow wows in Western Montana’s Glacier Country, where you’ll find two of the seven Indian reservations that fall within Montana’s borders—the Blackfeet Nation of the Blackfeet Reservation and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation. In addition to multiple year-round tribal events, you’ll find museums, galleries, shops and organizations dedicated to preserving the American Indian history and way of life with compelling exhibits and artifacts, and authentic arts and crafts.

One of the things that makes Montana so special is that we share the land with an abundance of beautiful, wild creatures. There are plenty of undesignated places to watch wildlife in Western Montana, but some pretty amazing spots are set aside specifically for Montana’s mammals, birds and reptiles. Glacier Country’s year-round wildlife refuges and viewing areas boast a diversity of habitat and offer a look at some of the region’s most majestic inhabitants.

Less than 20 minutes south of Flathead Lake—the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi—Ronan is quietly situated against the backdrop of the majestic Mission Mountains. This picturesque community off U.S. Highway 93 is more than a small-town agriculture community. The views alone are worth the visit to Ronan, but there’s more to this Mission Valley gem. Year-round recreation abounds here, like fishing, hiking in the Mission Mountain Wilderness Area (by permit), birding, camping and golf.

Western Montana’s pristine landscape makes for prime bird habitat. Our skies are graced with soaring raptors, our lakes and rivers are flush with waterfowl and shorebirds, and our grasslands and woodlands are visited by beautiful songbirds. Whether you’re an avid birder checking birds off a life list, or someone who just wants a look at something wild and free, there’s plenty of opportunity to catch some good glimpses of Glacier Country’s feathered residents.

Montana’s main draw is its natural beauty and world-class outdoor recreation, so it can be a quite a pleasant surprise to find out the state’s rugged exterior belies a highly developed artistic sensibility. Many of Western Montana’s communities boast big-city-worthy galleries and artists with talent galore. Local art makes a lovely souvenir, so take some time to browse and shop.