Why Kalispell, MT Is the Place to Recreate Responsibly on Your Montana Vacation

This post is sponsored by Discover Kalispell but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

After months of sitting inside in my apartment in Brooklyn, one of the first things I wanted to do was get out and explore some nature. While visiting family in Kalispell, Montana, I was thrilled to connect with the local tourism CVB, Discover Kalispell, and get a chance to see a changing Flathead Valley. During the last few years and especially during the pandemic, the area has grown rapidly (it’s the third fastest-growing micro-urban center in the United States), and I was curious to see how this might have changed from the sleepy town I remembered from childhood.

Another thing I wanted to make sure of while I was there was that I was making the effort to recreate responsibly. After long phone calls with my grandmother, I had heard that some of the visitors to Glacier National Park had not been so kind to nature while on their trips. That made me feel as though I had to try my best to be a responsible traveler.

Thankfully, I had a lot of help! With plenty of activities planned over several days, I had a lot to keep me busy. Along with checking out some local restaurants like Ceres Bakery, Hops, and Bonjour Bakery, I had a chance to explore Glacier National Park by bike. It was something I’ve been wanting to do for ages, but was always afraid that I wasn’t in good enough shape to do so.

I met up with Glacier Guides and while some people opted for e-bikes, I was going to do it the old-fashioned way. With a 5% gradient all the way up, it was going to be tough! Fortunately, the guides were super encouraging, and I was able to ask a number of questions about how I could be respectful to the places I was visiting.

The answer I received was that by being aware of the fact that it was important to recreate responsibly, I was already headed in the right direction. With so many new visitors to Glacier last year and already record numbers this year, staying a bit away from the park in Kalispell was already choosing to be kind to the area since small businesses and hotels closer to the park can get overwhelmed.

Going local was another thing I was excited about when it came to munching down on some delicious food. Discover Kalispell sent me to some great spots that were new since I was last home, or had upgraded in order to meet the increasing demand of visitors. Ceres Bakery had expanded to the building next door and included a wall of live plants–which was reason enough to order one of their famous pastries.

Hops had changed their menu up from the last time I was there, as well. Daniel and I dove into their amazing duck wings slathered in a huckleberry sauce and marveled over the delicious elk lasagna they offered. We weren’t disappointed by any of our other meals, either. Heck’s Kitchen (attached to Bias Brewing) has some delicious fare that we gobbled up, and Bonjour Bakery was the perfect place to fill our stomachs after spending time on the water.

Speaking of, one of my absolute favorite activities we tried out was spending time out on Flathead Lake in a kayak with Sea Me Paddle. Though I’ve spent countless hours on this magnificent body of water (it’s the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi), I had never kayaked it before. The lovely owners of the company, Jolie and BJ, were outstanding guides and shared the history about the railroad system and how it was a part of Kalispell’s history.

After time on the water, it was time to head to an art studio. KALICO is new in town, but it’s already making a name for itself due to its efforts to add art and culture to the area. While I can’t say that I have ever been good at arts and crafts, I had a blast speaking with our teacher Michell and learning how to make a vase from slab clay.

Next stop was the Conrad Mansion, which I hadn’t visited since I was a young kid. While the building itself hasn’t changed, my appreciation of history has, and I was amazed that Charles Conrad had a better idea of what it meant to recreate responsibly almost 200 years ago than many of us do today. I loved hearing about the conservation initiatives he put together, all while touring the still-impressive Victorian home.

Finally, it was up to Lone Pine State Park, where we met with a local, Dillon Tabish, who works for Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. As we hurled a number of questions his way about how to straddle the line between enjoying nature and respecting it, he patiently and enthusiastically shared how he has faith in new visitors.

“It’s all about finding that balance. We should absolutely be able to go out and appreciate our natural spaces, but we need to find new ways to show and educate others on how we can preserve them too.”

This meant being aware of fires, being open to the new ticketing system taking place in Glacier National Park, and adopting a Leave No Trace philosophy. (Discover Kalispell also has a guide to help you enjoy Montana’s outdoors while recreating responsibly.) While these are concepts that I might have been familiar with, it was a good reminder of why they were so important and how we as individuals could offer support to our natural resources.

And as my time in Kalispell showed, it was more than worth a little extra effort to preserve the incomparable outdoor experience and the love the local people have put toward their community as it continues to grow.

Want to plan your own trip to Kalispell, Glacier National Park and northwest Montana? Start at discoverkalispell.com.

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