Summer gets most of the attention on Flathead Lake. We understand why. But you really should see it in the fall.
Long summer days, boats everywhere, busy beaches and jumping off the dock are all part of a Montana summer. Then September comes. The boats start disappearing, mornings get cooler, the trees along the shoreline start changing and the mountains begin picking up snow.
But don’t mistake fall for cold. Some of our favorite days on Flathead Lake come in October, when the afternoon sun is still warm, the lake is smooth and you’re looking across the water at snowcapped mountains. Suddenly, a lake that was packed six weeks ago feels like your own private lake.
That’s when Flathead Lake gets really good.
Start at Wayfarers
If you’re staying in Bigfork, Wayfarers State Park is one of the easiest places to get down to the lake. It’s just outside of town, with wooded trails leading to rocky cliffs and stretches of shoreline where you can sit and look across the water toward the mountains.
Wayfarers is beautiful any time of year, but fall changes it. The campground quiets down, the trails aren’t as busy and the trees start changing around you. Pack a lunch, bring a coffee or just go for a walk. You don’t really need a bigger plan.
Wayfarers is our favorite, but it isn’t your only option. Flathead Lake State Park includes several units around the lake, and each gives you a different view. If you’re going to spend a day exploring Flathead Lake, stop at more than one.
About ten minutes south of Bigfork on Highway 35 is Bear Dance, and this is one of those places where it helps to know which direction to look. The east side of the highway is home to a well known mountain bike trail system that climbs above the lake and has some pretty incredible views.
But we’re sending you the other direction.
On the west side of the highway, a small path leads down toward Flathead Lake. It’s not a big destination with a visitor center or a long list of things to do. It’s just a quiet place to get down to the water, and there’s almost never anyone there.
That’s one of the things we love most about Flathead Lake in the fall. You don’t always need an attraction. Sometimes you just need a path to the lake.
Get on the Water
Seeing Flathead Lake from shore is one thing. Seeing it from the middle is completely different, especially in the fall. The summer boat traffic is gone, the water feels calmer, the lake looks smoother and there are days when it feels like the whole thing belongs to you.
Some of our favorite days on Flathead Lake are in October. The afternoon sun can still be warm enough to sit back with a light blanket while you’re looking across the water at snowcapped mountains. There might be a handful of other boats out there, or there might not be anyone at all. For a lake this big and this popular all summer, having it almost to yourself is pretty special.
If you don’t have a kayak with you, Base Camp Bigfork can solve that problem. They rent kayaks and paddleboards and can deliver them to Flathead Lake locations, including Wayfarers. Pick a calm fall day, have them bring the boats to you and go explore.
Of course, warm October sun doesn’t mean warm October water. Flathead Lake is cold, conditions can change quickly and wind deserves your attention. Check the forecast, wear a life jacket and don’t push it if the weather isn’t cooperating.
If you’d rather spend the day on a bigger boat, Big Sky Fishing Charters can get you out on Flathead Lake from Bigfork. Fall is a great time to fish, including for lake trout, and a charter means you don’t have to figure out where to go, what to use or what the fish are doing that particular week. Someone who spends a lot more time on Flathead Lake than you do has already done that part.
You can also make a day of it and head to Wild Horse Island. The island is only accessible by boat, and once you’re there you can hike the trails and keep an eye out for bighorn sheep, mule deer, bald eagles and, yes, wild horses. Cooler fall temperatures make hiking more comfortable, wildlife is active and you’re visiting after the busiest part of the summer season. The island is day use only, there is no public dock and pets aren’t allowed, so this is one of those adventures where planning ahead matters. Going with someone who knows the lake makes it a whole lot easier.
You don’t necessarily need a charter to go fishing. Fall fishing continues well after most of the recreational boats have been put away for the year. Fall Mack Days also brings anglers to the lake later in the season, so while the wake boats may be disappearing, the fishermen definitely aren’t.
If you’re fishing on your own, make sure you have a current Montana fishing license and check the regulations before heading out. And no, we’re not giving you anyone’s favorite fishing spot. We’ve already covered this.
Loop the Lake
You don’t have to get on the water to spend a day exploring Flathead Lake. Driving the entire loop is one of our favorite fall day trips from Bigfork, and the two sides of the lake couldn’t feel more different.
From Bigfork, take Highway 35 south along the east shore. For much of the drive, the road hugs the lake as you travel through Woods Bay and continue south toward Polson. The trees are changing, the orchards have finished out their season and there are plenty of places where you’ll want to pull over or take a detour down to the water.
Once you reach Polson, stop for lunch, walk around or head down to the water before making your way around the southern end of the lake. Then head north on Highway 93.
The west shore changes the view completely. Instead of driving alongside the mountains, you’re looking across Flathead Lake toward the Mission and Swan Mountain ranges. In fall, you may have changing trees along the shoreline, golden hillsides and fresh snow showing at higher elevations.
The east shore hugs the lake. The west shore gives you the view.
There are plenty of pullouts along the way, so use them. Stop in Rollins, explore another state park or keep going to Lakeside before eventually making your way back toward Bigfork.
Fall Doesn’t Always Cooperate
Here’s the part where we remind you that October is not July with fewer people. Flathead Lake is big enough to make its own opinion known about your plans. Wind can come up quickly, the water is cold, lake levels drop as the season progresses and docks or boat launches may become less accessible. Seasonal businesses and services also begin changing their hours.
Check the weather before you go, especially if you’re planning to be on the water. Bring layers, keep an eye on how much daylight you have left and be willing to change the plan. If it’s too windy to kayak, drive around the lake. If clouds are rolling across the mountains, grab a coffee and go to Wayfarers. If the sun is out and the lake is glass, get on the water while you can.
Fall rewards a little flexibility.
Stay for Sunset
The nice thing about shorter fall days is that you don’t have to stay up until 10 p.m. to watch the sun go down. Find a spot along the shoreline, stop at a pullout or make your way back to Bigfork and watch the light change across the lake.
Fall weather can make for some pretty dramatic skies. The mountains across the water start looking completely different as the sun gets lower, especially when there’s already a little snow on the peaks.
Then go find dinner somewhere warm.
Come Back After Summer
Flathead Lake doesn’t shut down when summer ends. It just becomes a different lake.
Walk the shoreline at Wayfarers, find that little path at Bear Dance, have someone bring you a kayak, go fishing, take a boat to Wild Horse Island or drive all the way around the lake and stop whenever something looks interesting.
But if you get one of those perfect October days, get on the water. Take a blanket, let the warm sun hit your face and look across that smooth lake toward the snowcapped mountains.
For a little while, Flathead Lake might feel like it’s all yours.
