Flathead Lake
Lake · Polson, Montana
Nearly two hundred square miles of clear water between the Mission and Salish mountains south of Kalispell — the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi, and what is left of Glacial Lake Missoula after the ice dams failed. Cherry orchards run along the east shore, warmed by the water. Wild Horse Island sits in the middle with bighorn sheep on it. The southern half of the lake lies within the Flathead Indian Reservation and is managed by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, which changes the permit rules and catches visitors out.
Flathead Lake, Polson, Montana, 59860, United States
Open year round. The six Montana state park units around the shore charge a modest vehicle day-use fee and most facilities are seasonal, generally May to September. THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE LAKE IS WITHIN THE FLATHEAD INDIAN RESERVATION and requires a Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes recreation permit for boating, fishing and shoreline use, sold separately from any state licence. Mandatory aquatic invasive species inspection applies to all watercraft entering the basin.