What to do in Whitefish, MT the end of July.

[Borch]

My wife an I are taking a train ride out there and spending 4+ days in the area celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. Beside Glacier National Park what are some other things I should make sure she and I see or do with our time there. We have a rental car with "unlimited" miles so it doesn't need to be right in the area.

[Wallydog]

Borch,

I've been there...........done that.

If I were a little closer I'd give some ideas.

Boise is about 10 hrs from whitefish.....

If you desire to get to the gem state I can give you some ideas.

WD

[Borch]

Only 10 hours? No Problem.

For some reason my wife thinks Yellowstone Park is a short trip from there....well compared to Boise maybe it is.

[Leaddog]

Borch,

Saw your name on this thread, had to see what you were up to. You might get to Glacier and not want to leave. If you do think about going North to Banff. Or slide South and hike around in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The Missouri Breaks (Charles M Russell) might be a cruise but real cool - stay out of the Slippery Slopes in a car though!

Pick up a MT Rand/McNally atlas, the red one. That'll get you anywhere you'd want to go.

Certain you'll enjoy the Big Sky state!

[WallEYES]

Borch...Head 35 miles north to a small town called Fortine. Look up laughing water ranch and you and the misses can horseback ride into the mountains...I've been there a few times with my kids...awesome and different experience. Some really good stream rainbow fishing in that area too. West Glacier is awesome too... take a raft ride down the middle fork of the Flathorn River or drive around Flathorn Lake.....

[Sully20]

Let's not get Borch confused, its the Flathead river and Flathead lake but I'm sure he would have figured that out when he got there. Beautiful river and a beautiful lake too.

One thing I find funny out there is that there is a bon-a-fide Green Bay Packers bar on the road between Whitefish and Flathead lake. A must see for any Viking or Packer fan. Stop in for a beer and tell them where you're from, they are friendly folks. Also a good microbrewery in the town of Whitefish.

From my experience, there are far less people on the east side of the park (east of going to the sun pass). Some good lakes and waterfall hikes on that side which see far less traffic than those spots on the west side of the main pass.

Have a great time.

[Desperado]

I grew up in the area. (BTW,it's the Flathead River and Flathead Lake)

You'll probably Go through Glacier on the Going to the Sun Highway, then come back on Hwy2.

When you get to the visitors center at the summit of Going to the Sun you can walk out to a glacier just west of the visitor's center. There's also a nice hiking trail just north (across the highway).

Glacier park lodge in East Glacier is worth a stop and look.

When you come back on Hwy 2, the Isaac Walton in Essex is pretty cool.

A MUST STOP is Willow's in Hungry Horse for Huckleberry Ice Cream.

Rafting on the Flathead River is a fun ride, but not too rough. Rides can be arranged in West Glacier.

You'll be there just at the time that Huckleberries are ripe. If you're into picking your own, post back here and I'll give you some pointers as to where to look.

Also at Big Mountain (the ski hill in Whitefish) the chair lifts are open in the summer. A ride to the top, a picnic lunch and a ride down is a great way to spend the first half of a day.

They also have zip line rides and alpine slide rides down the ski runs. You have to call ahead and reserve a time slot it you want to do the zip line or alpine slide.

[Borch]

Thanks Desparado.

Just going over your suggestions with the wife and she's likeing a few of them....

[Desperado]

Just remembered another fun half day trip

do a google search on National Bison Range

[Desperado]

google Goat Lick Overlook

then look at the hit that comes up from nps.gov

Don't know how I forgot this one yesterday.

It's one of my FAVORITE stops on Hwy 2; near mile marker 182 just east of Essex.

You can go to a viewing platform to see a mineral rich bluff along the river where the mountain goats gather to lick. Be sure to bring binoculars.

Just a couple hundred yards west of the overlook, there is a highway bridge that crosses a ravine. IT'S OK to PULL OVER here and LOOK (eveybody does it). The goats use this ravine and walk under the bridge as a route to cross the highway. If you see them here, you will be much closer to them than you are when you're looking from the viewing platform to the mineral bluff.

[Borch]

Thanks Deperado.

Sounds cool.

[klecker]

See if you can rent a boat on Flat head lake. On the south side there is an Island that was donated by some guy to the state. No hunting allowed on the island. Get a nice bottle of wine,Cherries may be in season, putz around the Island and look at the wild horses, Sheep and all the huge mullies. No hunting so these things are huge. In the evening they are down by the water. My wife had a blast doing this. My brothers inlaws have a cabin on the south side. This lake is just beautiful. Just endless things to do out there.

[Borch]

Thanks kleckeer.

Sounds like fun.

[Desperado]

The island that Klecker recommended is called Wildhorse Island.

Anyhow; if you do get on the lake in the vicinity of that island, on the lakeshore bluffs just north of the island there are ancient Indian rock paintings. They're easy to see from a boat; almost impossible to get to them without a boat.

[Desperado]

So Borch,

where did ya go?

what did ya do?

[Borch]

Well we were busy!!!!

We went to the goat lick teh first day and had mountain goats right up by the road. We spent time all but one day at Glacier park. We did a day trip up to Waterton Park in Alberta Canada. I did do a little trout fishing. We did have dinner at the Isaac Walton Lodge. Here are a few pics of our trip. The Huckleberries are very tasty.

Wild Goose Island

Avalache Gulch

Wanda at Avalache Lake

Amtrak Train from the Isaac Walton Lodge

Me doing a little trout fishing

Mountain Goats in a high Mt meadow

Momma and baby getting some rest

A view from Logan's Pass

Thanks for all the ideas of things to do. So many things to do with so little time. The 21 hour train ride was an experience with many great people to talk to. It's a great place to visit and if you love riding motorcycles it would be an awsome ride. There were many bikers out there in the mountains.

[itchmesir]

This thread is awesome.. im trying to plan a trip to Glacier this summer.. and this thread has helped

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

very beautiful country out there.

Thanks for sharing!