Flathead Lake
Flathead Lake (Salish: člq̓etkʷ, Ktunaxa: yawuʔnik̓ ʔa·kuq̓nuk) is a large natural lake in northwest Montana, United States.
A lake, 4 mi west of Bear Dance
Woods Bay is the nearest base
Woods Bay is 8 miles north, with 7 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 70–81°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Bear Dance. Green months are the mild ones.
Flathead Lake
Flathead Lake (Salish: člq̓etkʷ, Ktunaxa: yawuʔnik̓ ʔa·kuq̓nuk) is a large natural lake in northwest Montana, United States.
The lake is a remnant of the ancient, massive glacial dammed lake, Lake Missoula, of the era of the last interglacial. Flathead Lake is a natural lake along the mainline of the Flathead River. It was dammed in 1930 by Kerr Dam at its outlet on Polson Bay, slightly raising the lake level; the dam generates electricity. The hydroelectric has been owned and operated by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes since 2015. It is one of the cleanest lakes in the populated world for its size and type.
- Type
- Lake
- Area
- 197 square miles
- Elevation
- 2,894 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 49K a year
Where to stay near Flathead Lake
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Lakeside (12) and Bigfork (16).
Lakeside
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
2,386 people
10 mi northwest of Flathead Lake
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Flathead Lake | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside | 10 mi northwest | 15 min | 12 2 hotels · 2 motels · 6 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 1 campground | 2,386 | $720K | — |
| Bigfork 20% vacation homes | 13 mi north | 20 min | 16 2 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 8 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 5,565 | $675K | — |
| Woods Bay 29% vacation homes | 8 mi north | 10 min | 7 1 hotel · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 hostel · 1 campground · 2 RV parks | 835 | $512K | — |
| Rollins 68% vacation homes | 4 mi west | 5 min | 3 1 inn or B&B · 1 campground · 1 RV park | 115 | $1,229K | — |
| Polson | 15 mi south | 20 min | 9 3 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground · 3 RV parks | 5,653 | $356K | D− |
| Kalispell | 24 mi northwest | 35 min | 27 18 hotels · 3 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 hostel · 1 campground | 31,851 | $428K | C− |
| Bear Dance 50% vacation homes | 4 mi east | 5 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B | 220 | $833K | — |
| Lake Mary Ronan 47% vacation homes | 13 mi west | 20 min | 4 4 campgrounds | 80 | $692K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Flathead Lake
Other well-known places within 67 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
67 mi LakeLake Missoula
54 mi MountainTriple Divide Peak
60 mi LakeSaint Mary Lake
48 mi Park & preserveBob Marshall Wilderness42 mi Ski areaWhitefish Mountain Resort137 runs · 2,292 ft vertical43 mi CaveTears of the Turtle Cave
40 mi Park & preserveCSKT Bison Range115 mi Ski areaBlacktail Mountain Ski Area23 runs · 1,421 ft verticalPhoto credits
Lake Missoula: USGS, Public domain · Triple Divide Peak: Eggbones, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Saint Mary Lake: Ken Thomas (talk · contribs), Public domain · Bob Marshall Wilderness: United States Forest Service, Public domain · CSKT Bison Range: Paul Frederickson, CC BY 2.5
Visiting Flathead Lake
What town is Flathead Lake near?
Bear Dance, MT, about 4 miles east.
When is the best time to visit Flathead Lake?
June, July, August and September, with highs of 70–81°.
What is the closest airport to Flathead Lake?
Glacier Park (FCA), about 29 miles away. The nearest big hub is Spokane (GEG), about 160 miles.
Where should I stay near Flathead Lake?
Lakeside (10 mi, 12 places to stay), Bigfork (13 mi, 16 places to stay) and Woods Bay (8 mi, 7 places to stay).
Tips from people in Bear Dance
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Bear Dance’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.