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Columbia Falls offers a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities, to
provide a fun-filled day for the entire family.
Family Recreation
Hiking
River Trips
Snowmobiling
Skiing
Camping
Glacier National Park
Golfing |
Family Recreation |
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The City of Columbia Falls maintains approximately 28 acres of park land.
Developed parks include baseball and soccer fields, picnic areas and
playgrounds and a waterfall and bandshell.
The City operates the Pinewood Family Aquatic Center, a 25 meter competitive
swimming pool and a leisure pool with several fixed play features.
Bring the family and enjoy Montana's biggest and best Water Theme
Park – Big Sky Waterpark. Ten exciting slides, huge whirl pool, picnic grounds,
beach volley ball, krazy kars and much more.
406-892-5025
www.bigskywaterpark.com
Amazing Ventures, Inc. is a wonderful family recreation park. Challenge
the mind with a world class wooden maze. Bumper water boats, bank shot
basketball, miniature golf and race car track. Fun for
everyone.
406-387-5902
House Of Mystery is Montana's only natural vortex, producing unusual
gravitational energies and mystifying phenomena. A popular family-oriented
attraction.
406-892-1210.
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Hiking |
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Columbia Falls is known as the "Gateway to Glacier National Park". With 700 miles of maintained trails in the Park, there are endless opportunities to hike in this beautiful area of Montana.
Jewel Basin
As a designated hiking area, the Jewel is a true hiker's paradise.
Thirty-five miles of trail provide options for hikes of all lengths.
While some prefer the day hikes many choose to camp by one of the area's 25
lakes and enjoy a few hours of fishing. LOCATION: 17 miles east of Kalispell
and 18 miles southeast of Columbia Falls.
Columbia Mountain
Columbia Mountain is overlooking Columbia Falls. This provides a wonderful
family opportunity to go hiking. This trail head in approximately four
miles form Columbia Falls. The first two and a half miles are moderate and
offer a wonderful view of the valley. The last five and a half miles to the
top is a challenge.
Big Mountain Ski And Summer Resort
Offering some of the best views of Glacier National Park, the Big Mountain
has dramatic views, an Environmental Education Center and the Danny On Trail.
Glacier National Park
With more than 700 miles of trails, the Crown of the Continent offers a
trail for everyone's ability. HIDDEN LAKE OVERLOOK is a must for everyone.
The trail begins at the Logan Pass Visitor Center Area. The boardwalk
protects the fragile alpine fields of wildflowers as the trail gains about
500 feet along the l.5 mile route to the overlook.
Hungry Horse Dam And Reservoir offers excellent recreation
opportunities.
Each year thousands of tourists come to this area to take part in
fishing, boating, camping, water skiing, snowmobiling and hunting. Hidden
in the rugged Rocky Mountain Range, the project is located on the South
Fork of the Flathead River, 10 miles east of Columbia Falls.
Tours of the dam are given during the summer season. Montana is "Big Sky"
country where water is the state's greatest resource. There are many hiking
trails into hidden mountain lakes around the 50 miles of rugged road
to Spotted Bear Ranger Station. Check the ranger station at Spotted Bear or
Hungry Horse Ranger Station.
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River Trips |
Columbia Falls is the gateway to the Flathead Rivers. The three forks of the Flathead River are
part of the Nation's Wild and Scenic River System. If you are looking for Fly Fishing, Whitewater
or a Scenic Float with over 225 miles of river to choose from there is something for everyone.
The South Fork of the Flathead River starts deep in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and flows north
until meeting the 45 mile long Hungry Horse Reservoir. After the Hungry Horse Dam there is a
short section of river before the confluence with the Middle Fork. The section above and below
the Hungry Horse Reservoir can be accessed from the South Fork road. The wilderness section must
be accessed by hiking or horseback. The fishing above the reservoir is well known as a great
cutthroat fishery.
The North Fork of the Flathead River flows out of Canada and makes up the western border of Glacier
National Park. It has very little white water but offers great fishing and spectacular mountain views
into the Glacier National Park. It offers about 60 miles of floating to the confluence of the Middle Fork.
The Middle Fork of the Flathead River starts in the Bob Marshall Wilderness then flows through The Great
Bear Wilderness before meeting with Highway 2. There is about 30 miles of floatable river in the
wilderness then another 55 miles to the confluence of the South Fork. The upper wilderness section
offers one of the nations premier wilderness float trips with outstanding mountain views, narrow canyons,
class IV whitewater, and incredible fishing. This section of river must be accessed by small plane,
horseback, or hiking. After leaving the wilderness it parallels Highway 2 and is the southern border
of Glacier National Park. It offers great fishing and several whitewater sections, with the most popular
being the 8 miles above West Glacier.
The Main Flathead River begins at the confluence of the Middle Fork and the South Fork and flows through
Columbia Falls. It slowly meanders its way through the Flathead Valley for another 45 miles before
flowing into Flathead Lake. It offers good fishing and many other recreational opportunities such as
water skiing, jet skiing and duck hunting.
For information on the Flathead Rivers contact the Hungry Horse Ranger Station at (406) 387 3800 or
Glacier Anglers Fly Shop in West Glacier (406) 888 5454 or www.glacier-anglers.com. For information
on Raft Trips or Fishing Trips call:
Glacier Raft Company (800) 235 6781 www.glacierraftco.com
Great Northern Whitewater (406) 387 5340 www.gnwhitewater.com
Montana Raft Company (406) 387 5656 www.glacierguides.com
Wild River Adventures (406) 387 9453 www.riverwild.com
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Snowmobiling |
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Montana's Flathead Valley welcomes snowmobilers. The mountains are high and
the powder is deep. We are your gateway to a wonderland with approximately
200 miles of groomed trails and nearly 2,000 miles of National Forest
Service roads to take you through pristine alpine forests, along ridges
with spectacular views and into deep powder bowls.
There are mountain top rides with incredible views...groomed trails...deep
powder bowls for play...and pristine alpine forests. Columbia Falls is a
center for snowmobiling, with trails leading to the summit of Big Mountain
or Mount Marston lookout with an elevation of nearly 7,000 feet.
Canyon Creek
Located on the North Fork of the Flathead River drainage, the Canyon Creek
trail accesses more then 100 miles of groomed trail and abundant mountain
riding. The trailhead is five miles north of Columbia Falls and leads to
the summit of The Big Mountain Ski and Summer Resort.
Desert Mountain and Skyland Road are two other areas between Columbia
Falls and East Glacier.
Trail maps are available throughout the Valley. Contact J&L RV and
Snowmobile Rentals 406-892-7666 www.jandlrvrentals.com for current snow
conditions. Flathead Convention & Visitor Bureau 1-800-543-3105 or
www.fcvb.org.
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Skiing |
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For more than 50 years Big Mountain Ski and Summer Resort has offered some
of the best downhill skiing in the Northwest with 67 runs on 3,000 skiable
acres. There is also a snowboard park, snowcat skiing, back country
snowmobiling and a Nordic Center.
One of the newest ski areas to the northwest is Blacktail Mountain.
It offers a 1440 foot vertical drop on more than 13 miles of groomed runs
on one thousand acres. There are no lines, and kids 70 and over or seven
and under ski free.
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Camping |
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Columbia Falls and the surrounding areas offer numerous camping opportunities. Whether you prefer "roughing it" in a tent, or desire all the amenities of your RV, Columbia Falls area will be a terrific area to start your vacation. For more information on camping, visit http://www.montanacampground.com
Hungry Horse Reservoir
There are three campgrounds on the east side and six on the west side of
the reservoir. There are four boat launch sites also with many
opportunities for fishing and hiking. Water-skiing and swimming are also
very popular.
Big Creek Campground
This is located 20 miles north of Columbia Falls on the North Fork of the
Flathead River. The river is the Western boundary of the park and has been
designated a Wild and Scenic River. There are many recreational sites
along this rustic route providing river access.
There are many private campgrounds between Columbia Falls and the West
entrance to Glacier Park. There is also camping in Glacier Park.
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Glacier National Park |
| Glacier National Park, the fourth largest National Park in the U.S. in the lower 48 states, is comprised of 1.4 million acres of breathtaking beauty and is one of the oldest scenic wonders in the United States.
The famous Going-To-The-Sun Road, carved out of solid rock and completed in 1932, is approximately fifty miles long, bisecting the Park east and west. This breathtaking trip to the top of the Continental Divide is one of the most scenic in the world.
www.nps.gov/glac/
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Golfing |
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Golf Flathead Valley "Golf Destination of the Northwest"
Ranked among the "50 greatest golf destinations," by Golf Digest, September 2000
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Meadow Lake Golf Resort - Columbia Falls
Nestled in its own private setting and protected by the towering peaks of
the Rocky Mountains lies this beautiful 18-hole championship golf course.
MeadowLake's 330 gently rolling acres offer trees, crystal clear lakes and
streams, and spectacular mountain views of Glacier Park.
800-321-GOLF, 406-892-8700 or www.meadowlake.com
Glacier View Golf Club - West Glacier
Your biggest challenge is keeping your eye OFF the majestic peaks of Glacier
Park and ON the ball! Glacier View Golf Course has always been known as a
friendly, relaxing and family oriented course. It is 18 holes of
Mountain paradise. 406-888-5471
There are seven other pubic courses within 35-45 minutes of Columbia Falls.
Most courses are open from April through October. The prices range form $20
to $56 around in season. Special packages are available and twilight time
prices are offered. You can book tee times on any of the nine Flathead
Valley Golf Association courses by calling 800-392-9795.
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Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 312
Columbia Falls, Montana 59912
406-892-2072
info@columbiafallschamber.com
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Copyright ©2001 The City and Chamber of Commerce of Columbia Falls
and CenturyTel Web Solutions LLC.
All rights reserved. |
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