Experience the Bar W Guest Ranch

The Bar W Guest Ranch, situated on Spencer Lake just 3.5 miles west of Whitefish, is proud to announce its grand opening on July 2nd, 2005. Nestled amid 2,900 acres of state land, the 100-acre Bar W Guest Ranch features abundant year-round recreation and world-class accommodations in its 6,200-square-foot lodge and well-appointed guest cabins. In addition to boasting convenient access to fishing, hiking, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, golf, skiing, and snowmobiling, Bar W is renowned for horseback riding. The ranch has developed the West’s most advanced and diverse equestrian program, and guests are encouraged to experience the beautiful Rocky Mountains on horseback. For a vacation in the heart of Glacier Country, experience Bar W, and capture a Montana adventure you’ll remember for a lifetime! For additional information, please visit the ranch’s website at www.thebarw.com

The Huckleberries of Glacier

You won’t get through Montana without seeing huckleberry products. These little gems are made into preserves, candies, syrups, candles, lotions, and soaps. The huckleberry is very similar to the blueberry, and incredibly sweet and tart at the same time. They have a long history in the northwest.

The Native Americans used them as an important source of food, drink, and rich dyes. Because of the huckleberry’s unique flavor and challenge to harvest, it has become one of Montana’s hottest commodities and the main ingredient in one of the state’s fastest growing industries. The huckleberry that grows in the mountains and forests of Montana is special. The berries only grow in the wild on bushes. They won’t bear fruit when transplanted or grown commercially, and availability varies year by year according to the whims of Mother Nature. In order to harvest huckleberries, pickers must go into the high mountain, Montana back country to find the bushes. “Bearing” in mind that huckleberries are a favorite food of grizzly bears, picking these tasty morsels isn’t just hard, but can also be darn hazardous. No one knows just why huckleberry bushes reproduce or what makes one patch of berries good picking one year and not the next. To really enjoy huckleberries for yourself, try some of the wonderful products that you’ll see sold throughout the state. During the summer you can often find a special treat of fresh huckleberries for sale at the local farmers markets.

Reprinted from The Ultimate Montana Atlas and Travel Encyclopedia

Bigfork: Culture on the Lake

Bigfork was founded in 1902 and is located on a bay where the Swan River empties into the Flathead Lake. Bigfork is one of the valley’s most picturesque and cultured villages. The lovely resort community averages a population of 1,500, although it can swell exponentially during the summer. It houses many art galleries and shops, as well as some of the finest restaurants in the valley which are touted for their exceptional menus. The Bigfork Playhouse is acclaimed for its professional performances in the summer. Bigfork also has one of the best 18-hole golf courses in the west, keeping with its role as a resort village.

In 1901, Everit Sliter platted this site for a township. It was named for its location where the Swan River, a “big fork” of the Flathead River pours into the lake. Sliter was the town’s first postmaster and ran the town’s first hotel and general store and planted the first orchard there. The steamers that navigated the lake used Bigfork Bay as a harbor. The construction of a dam, power plant and road by Bigfork Power and Light along the Swan River in the early 1900s brought a boom to the town with the influx of construction workers. Heavy logging in the years prior to World War I brought loggers and carpenters.

Bigfork later grew as a tourist town when convict labor built the East Shore Highway from 1911 to 1914. The town became a convenient stopping point for travelers on the way to Glacier National Park. The town settled into a quiet existence and changed little for almost 50 years. In the 1980s and 1990s when Montana became a destination for urban escapees, Bigfork began a metamorphosis. Eagle Bend Golf Course was constructed, and the area evolved to a resort town. In 1986, Bigfork was selected as one of the “50 Great Towns of the West” by journalist David Vokac in his book “Great Towns of the West.”

Reprinted from The Ultimate Montana Atlas and Travel Encyclopedia

Explore Jewel Basin

This is really more of a hiking area than a hike. As it is designated strictly hiking, you don’t have to contend with horse pies and ATV’s. There are over 35 miles of trail here with over 25 mountain lakes along them. The trails, usually clear by July, are accessible from the Hungry Horse Reservoir or from Jewel Basin Road near Bigfork. The main parking area can be reached by turning on Echo Lake Road off MT Hwy 83 and then onto Jewel Basin Road No. 5392. The road goes for approximately seven roller coaster miles. There is usually snow in the parking lot until mid-June. There is a ranger station here with information on the various hiking opportunities. Abundant high altitude wildflowers and wildlife are the norm here.

Reprinted from The Ultimate Montana Atlas and Travel Encyclopedia

Explore the Beautiful Gallatin and Beartrap Canyons

Starting outside Bozeman and winding through Big Sky to West Yellowstone, the 85-mile Gallatin Canyon drive on US Highway 191 is arguably one of Montana's most breathtaking drives. The drive parallels the Gallatin River and skirts the majestic Spanish Peaks where it ends at the northwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. The yellow cliffs rising from the river on much of the route are constant backdrops for the paintings of the world famous Gary Carter. In addition, the canyon provides access to innumerable hikes, whitewater adventures, and tropy fly-fishing.

Beartrap Canyon stretches along State Highway 84 between Bozeman and Norris. This part of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness is popular for hiking, fishing, and whitewater sports on the Madison River. The canyon is carved by the river cutting through 1,500 feet of granite rock. In addition, the magnificent canyon offers an excellent early season hike. The fairly level trail follows the Madison River for seven miles and is accessible from the Bear Trap Recreation Area.

Partially reprinted from The Ultimate Montana Atlas and Travel Encyclopedia

Kerr Dam Tours

8 miles southwest of Polson. 883-4550
To reach the dam, turn south at the first stoplight past the bridge in downtown Polson and follow the signs.

Just a few miles southwest of Polson, the 204-foot-high Kerr Dam straddles the Buffalo Rapids Canyon. The dam was completed in 1938 for Montana Power Co. and will be taken over in 2015 by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. It is capable of generating up to 190 megawatts of electricity. There is an English-style village at the powerhouse with a recreation area and raft launching facility. A trail and stairsteps on the canyon’s rim lead to an excellent view of the dam. The views are at their finest in late May and early June when the spillway gates are open. The balance of the year, the river is diverted through 800 foot long tunnels and sent directly to the powerhouse. You can call the number above to arrange a tour of the dam, but be patient. The crew is often working outdoors and you may have to call back several times. Tours are available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.

Reprinted from The Ultimate Montana Atlas and Travel Encyclopedia

The Land of No Sales Tax

This Date in History: June 8, 1993

In yet another Montana sales tax proposition, voters rejected the initiative on June 8, 1993 by nearly a three to one margin! State legislators have pushed the issue nearly every year since 1971, but Montana residents continue to resist the tax. As a result, Montana is a land of no sales tax, and residents from neighboring states frequently shop in Montana to take advantage of this perk.

House of Mystery

Between Hungry Horse & Columbia Falls, Hwy. 2, (406) 892-1210

Located 13 miles west of Glacier National Park near Hungry Horse, The House of Mystery is Montana’s only natural vortex, producing unusual gravitational energies and mystifying phenomena. A popular family-oriented attraction, the gift shop offers old-time portraits and assorted curios, including crystals and prisms. Stop in for a tour and actually feel the strange forces at work. See where you can grow or shrink six inches just by moving three feet ahead, where birds don’t fly, and trees grow in weird shapes and odd angles. Don’t forget to bring your camera to prove it!