Lakeside is a small town of about 1,340 homes on the western shore of Flathead Lake. The town is a tourist destination due to the lake access, a town park, and proximity to Blacktail Mountain, Glacier National Park, skiing, hiking and outdoor activities. There are restaurants and a grocery in town, as well as many others to choose from in nearby Kalispell and Bigfork.
Flathead Lake
Lakeside is located on the western shore of Flathead Lake, a 30 mile long and nearly 15 mile wide lake. Flathead Lake is the largest lake in the western United States. It boasts 160 miles of shoreline, 200 square miles of water, and 300 feet of depth in some places. The Flathead River and Swan River feed the lake all year long.
There are many parks around the lake, as well as attractions such as the Dragon Boat Festival, Wild Horse Island, Wayfarers State Park and more.
Volunteer Park is located in the town of Lakeside and is open all year long. The park provides views of the Swan and Mission Mountain Ranges. During the summer, fishing, swimming and boating are available. The park has a beach, docks, bathrooms and pavilions. It can be located right in the center of town at 7225 US-93.
For information on the other Flathead Lake parks check out the Kalispell Montana community page.
Enjoying the Outdoors
Whenever someone mentions Montana, the first thing most people think of is the great outdoors. Montana is a treasure trove of outside activities including hiking, downhill skiing, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, skating, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, events, and more. Here are a few highlights:
Hiking:
In the town of Lakeside, there is a park located just south of town on Route 93. The Flathead Lake State Park West Shore Loop offers a few miles of relatively easy hiking. If you’d like to spend time near the water enjoying a non-strenuous walk, this is the place to go! There is also room for fishing and sunning.
In addition, the surrounding Flathead Valley has tons of hiking and climbing opportunities. Just a few examples are:
In the Swan Range, the Jewel Basin is a popular site for hikers. This area is just outside of Bigfork. The Jewel Basin includes over 15,000 acres, 35 miles of trails and 27 lakes. Motorized vehicles and horses are not allowed in the area.
Also in the Swan Range is Alpine Trail #7 which is a 54 mile-long trail that starts at Columbia Mountain, which is east of Columbia Falls. It passes through the Jewel Basin, and ends at Inspiration Point, a 7,552 summit which is located near the southern end of Flathead Lake.
In the Salish Mountains, there are more than 4,000 square miles of forests, hills and mountains. If you are interested in climbing, the Stone Hill Rock Climbing Area provides over 300 climbing routes. In terms of hiking, there are multiple hiking trails in the Salish Mountain Range. Trailheads are located at Ashley Peak, Lupine, Blacktail, Wild Bill, Elk Mountain and more. The best way to find trails in the Salish area is to purchase a Kootenai and East Half Kaniksu National Forests map.
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This is just a sampling of information regarding the Lakeside area. For more information on Lakeside and the surrounding area and to see current Lakeside Montana Homes for Sale, please refer to the Lakeside MT Community page found here.
If you would any additional information, or would like assistance purchasing or selling a home in the Flathead Valley, please contact me at 406-270-3667 or via email at kat@thehousekat.com.
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