Hello, Montana: land of snow-capped mountains and glacier-carved valleys.
My boyfriend and I recently spent a long weekend in the Kalispell/Whitefish area of Montana. I know– at first blush, Montana doesn’t seem like a super hot vacation destination. But this place is a gem.
Growing up in the (mostly) flat Midwestern prairie, mountains have always fascinated me. Geologically, I understand how they form, of course, but we just don’t have that type of land in KC. Our hills are rolling, subtle, and the part of the city I call home has been painted in broad strokes by Suburbia. (This is not a slight; I love my hometown.) The Montana landscape is just so incredibly different: wide valleys sprawl to the base of the northern Rockies, which rush upward from the flatland, capped by bright white snow.
The Flathead Valley area is completely surrounded by mountains; it’s like being bordered by the world’s biggest and prettiest fence. Pristine, green space everywhere, be it flat valley or wooded as you get closer to the mountains. There is room, land, acreage between developments. So much space. The sky seems bigger; the only thing not dwarfed by the Rockies.
We stayed The Lodge at Lake Whitefish, which was situated right on the lake. It had everything we needed, while still maintaining a rustic feel. (Yes, it had wifi. I’m allergic to places that don’t have it.) Spa, bar, restaurant, bike rentals, coffee bar, room service, indoor and outdoor pools, steam room– The Lodge was perfect.
We kicked off the trip with drinks + apps at the Lodge’s bar. After a day of travel, it was nice to unwind with a glass of rosé and some good eats.
My boyfriend and I each had an objective in Montana: for him, it was running a Spartan race that weekend, and for me, it was finding a place to do a trail ride on horseback. I grew up riding, and it was something I hadn’t done in ages. My great aunt had a farm just south of the city, so many of my childhood summers were spent hanging out in the paddocks, climbing the hay mountains in the barn, and riding as much as I possibly could.
I had found the Dream Haven Ranch online after a pretty extensive search (I didn’t want anything too basic; I wanted the True Montana Horseback Trail Experience). Dream Haven promised a ride tailored to our needs by a guide who knew the mountain like the back of her hand. We showed up for 10:00 a.m. ride with bells on. (Bells = brand new cowboy boots I had purchased for myself before the trip. Yes, that’s a rookie move– but I didn’t want to ride in sneakers and I’ll be damned if the Ropers I had when I was 9 fit anymore.)
Even though it had been years, I felt right at home on Deek. He was ornery– in the best way– and loved running up the steep hills, which made it more fun. I’d never climbed or descended mountain-grade hills on horseback before, so it made for a fun time. Dave and Shadow were a great pairing; she was easygoing and made his first ride ever a breeze.
We wound upward through the trees, following trails and logging roads. View after view, sight after sight. Soon, we felt pretty high up. The marshland below glittered in the sunshine, the morning fog clearing a bit.
Covered in dust and horse hair, my new boots properly dirty, we headed back into town for lunch. Downtown Whitefish proved to be quite the spot for food + drink; lots of bars and restaurants, all unique, all local.
Pizza was on the menu post-pony, as we were starving. A beer flight seemed like an appropriate form of celebration.
On Saturday we hit Glacier National Park. This park is on many a bucket list for its trails, lakes, and amazing mountain views. Much of the park was still closed for the season (most of GNP doesn’t open until mid- to late-May), but we still had the chance to see Lake McDonald in all its crystal-clear glory and do a quick-but-grueling 4-mile hike on the Sperry Trail.