We didn’t exactly choose Kalispell as our destination, it chose us. Our destination was immaterial, as long as it was in the mountains, cool, and away from crowds, telephones, and the hustle and bustle of everyday life. We had four days and we needed rejuvenating. Arriving in Salt Lake City to connect to our flight to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, we found our flight was overbooked and looking for volunteers to give up their seats. An hour later, we were on a flight to Kalispell, Montana, the gateway to Glacier National Park.
We arrived in the area two weeks before the more-or-less official opening of the tourist season, which is Memorial Day weekend. On the surface, this sounded really good to us, as we thought there would be no traffic, no crowds, and plenty of quiet and long, peaceful walks. We had left home in temperatures well above 90 degrees, and now we were enjoying weather in the cool 60s.
What we had not counted on was that most hotels and restaurants in the area had not yet opened. However, we found our way, slept comfortably, and didn’t miss too many meals. We drove through a snowstorm on a winding mountain road on our way to East Glacier and drove partway up the Going to the Sun Road. The snow and rain we encountered almost every day did not dampen our enjoyment of this beautiful area.
Kalispell was exactly what we were looking for. It is a great jumping-off point to many adventures, including driving the 100 miles around Flathead Lake, visiting Glacier National Park, enjoying the Izaak Walton Railroad Inn and Museum, walking the Trail of the Cedars near Avalanche Creek, and driving through some of the most beautiful country God created. ${QuickSuggestions} Everywhere we looked in Kalispell, there were signs reading casino, and they are in the most unique locations. Some were in older houses, some attached to restaurants, bars, laundromats, gas stations, and in shopping areas. We checked out a few and found dark, smoky rooms with 10 to 15 kino and poker machines. Las Vegas this was not.
What is going on around Kalispell determines the availability and price of the local hotels. Even though literally empty when we arrived, it took us three or four attempts to find a hotel after returning from Glacier National Park for our return home.
If you are planning to drive the Going to the Sun Road and you are pulling a 5th wheel or camper, be aware that there are some restrictions on the length of your rig. Twenty-one (21) feet long and 8 feet wide, including mirrors, is the maximum for driving across Sun Point.
${BestWay} The Glacier Park International Airport sits between Columbia Falls and Kalispell and is the closest commercial airport to Glacier National Park. It was a little bit of surprise to see such a nice facility, well-laid-out and quite modern.
In addition to the ticket counters, there are marvelous shops offering local and Indian art. It is a great way to kill some time waiting for your flight. Security was efficient while maintaining a friendly, down-home feeling. There are three gates for departures and arrivals. Horizon, Delta (co-share partner Skywest), Northwest Airlines (Mesa Airlines), Big Sky Airlines, and the latest addition, America West Airlines, service this airport. Most of these airlines use the smaller 50-passenger regional jets.
Once in the area, a car or a bike is a must. There is no shortage of rental car companies at the airport: Budget, Dollar, Avis, and Hertz. Enterprise is just outside the airport but will pick you up. One of the brochures for Glacier National Park mentioned bicycle rentals; however, like most things in the park, it was not open for business when we were there.