Recreation:
Whitefish and Flathead Valley are home to some of the best year round recreational activities.

• Full range of winter and summer activities including downhill skiing at Big Mountain Ski & Summer Resort, cross country skiing, snowboarding, snow shoeing, skating, snowmobiling, golfing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, camping, boating, and fishing.
  
• Lakes and Rivers: Whitefish Lake, tucked inside our community, is a pristine mountain lake offering water sports with public beaches. Flathead Lake, just 25 minutes south of Whitefish, is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River. It has more than 124 miles of sweeping shoreline and is nestled between two majestic mountain ranges. Whitefish River meanders through our town. The Flathead River, made up of three major forks, which eventually flow into Flathead Lake, is a unique resource. It offers fly-fishing, whitewater rafting, and, on the calmer parts of the river, canoeing.
  
• Golf: Eleven outstanding golf courses within 45 miles drive. Golf Digest, when rating retirement counties in America, selected Flathead County number one under "Four-Season Counties with Great Golf". Whitefish golf courses include Whitefish Lake Golf Course (the only 36 hole golf course with both of its 18 holes named among the top five in the state), Northern Pines and Iron Horse (private - we are Buyers Agents for this exclusive course.)
  
• Big Mountain Ski & Summer Resort in Whitefish:
  
  
  • Winter: Ski / Snowboard / Tubing / Snow-shoeing - More than 3,000 ski able acres, eleven lift, servicing 2,500 vertical feet and 81 marked runs.
    
  • Summer: Mountain bike, hiking, wildlife, wildflowers, huckleberries - Unsurpassed views of Glacier National Park from the summit.
    

• Blacktail Mountain: Nestled above the town of Lakeside along the west shore of Flathead Lake, Blacktail Mountain Ski Area offers the kind of experience you just can't find anywhere else.
  • 24 groomed runs
  • More than 13 miles of terrain
  • 3 chairs: 2 doubles, 1 triple and a handle tow
  • 360 degree views of the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park

More about the Flathead Valley: Part of the Flathead Valley's (est. population 83,172 - 2005 U.S. Census) charm is its unique collection of diverse villages, communities and towns. Kalispell, County Seat and the center of commerce, is the major retail center in Northwest Montana.

• To the north, our mountain resort village of Whitefish nestles below Big Mountain Ski & Summer Resort. Columbia Falls is the western gateway to Glacier National Park, and Bigfork and Lakeside frame the east and west shores of Flathead Lake. These communities plus a host of small villages offer shopping (no state sales tax), galleries, fine dining, festivals and special events.
  
• Glacier National Park : Just 30 minutes from Whitefish, majestic mountains rise from deep valley floors. Turquoise lakes glisten beside forests of evergreen. The park covers over 1,500 square miles of wilderness filled with breathtaking scenery and wildlife. The park's lands are inhabited by abundant wildlife and over 60 species of mammals and 200 species of birds. Hike more than 700 miles of backcountry, camp, fish, raft, bike, climb, ride horse, boat or just plain sight see. You won't find a better place for it anywhere. If you can only spend a few hours in the park, driving the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road will provide an excellent glimpse of this spectacular. For general park information call 406-888-7800.
  
• Education: Whitefish School District has three schools serving approximately 2,000 students. The mission of the Whitefish School District is to assure all students entrusted to the district are provided the educational opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively function in a changing society. Alternative education is offered through Cross Currents Christian School and Montessori School. Higher education is nearby through Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell and University of Montana in Missoula.
  
• Healthcare: Whitefish has among the finest medical facilities of any resort community in the country, North Valley Hospital is just one of them. Whitefish and the greater Flathead Valley health care system total 145 beds with very modern and fully equipped emergency rooms providing both urban and rural air ambulance. Ranked by U. S. News and World Report as the top Montana hospital in 9 of 11 categories, this system employs 164 staff physicians, provides sophisticated MRI equipment, and was third in the U.S. to buy the newest CAT scanner on the market.
  
• Arts / Entertainment:
  • Whitefish Theatre Company
  • Glacier Orchestra
    
• Transportation:
  • Glacier International Airport just 20 minutes from Whitefish
  • Amtrak station located in downtown Whitefish
  • Rocky Mountains Transportation Bus service from Whitefish to Missoula

Planning a trip? We'd love to recommend our favorite places to stay and things to do.