Radiant Wanderings

OK, so you’ve seen footage of beautiful snow capped mountain peaks, wide open spaces, and crystal clear lakes and it’s easy to envision living in such gorgeous surroundings. But….not so fast. Every relationship or destination has its pros and cons. So, what should one be aware of before moving to Montana?

Lakeside and Somers sit along the Western shore of Flathead Lake and have, in my humble opinion, some of the best valley views over the lake and onto the Swan Mountain range. Their combined population is just over 3,000 residents bringing a small town feel to these lake town communities. The lower valley of Kalispell Montana provides a similar country feel to Creston with great soil, farming, and beautiful mountain views although situated a bit further from the base of the Swan Mountain range. Lower valley boasts a greater number of deciduous trees providing a unique feel and beauty all its own in Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Bigfork is a small community of just over 4,000 residents located along the North shore of Flathead lake just 20 miles south of Kalispell Montana. This quaint community is unincorporated meaning it has no ability to raise taxes and relies heavily on donations from residents, businesses, and community organizations. This unique feature gives Bigfork a charm all it’s own. It is one of my favorite locations in Flathead County.

Columbia Falls Montana recently surpassed 5,000 residents and sits within a prime location between Glacier National Park, Whitefish, and Kalispell. Just to the West is Hungry Horse, a much smaller community (less than 1,000) with incredible mountain vistas, the well known 564 foot Hungry Horse Dam overlooking a breathtaking reservoir, and is where the paved Gateway to Glacier bike trail begins. West Glacier is an even smaller community located along Highway 2 at the West Entrance to Glacier National Park. In this city moving guide I will discuss housing costs, schools, recreation, amenities, and pros and cons of choosing Columbia Falls, Hungry Horse, or West Glacier over other cities in Flathead County.

The town of Kalispell offers visitors unique opportunities for dining, shopping, recreating, and staying locally making Kalispell an unforgettable home away from home. Join me as I explore area offerings and take you to some of my favorite local places.

Whitefish Montana surpassed 8,500 residents in 2020 growing over 35% in the last decade. It’s easy to see why many are drawn to this quaint town. Whitefish boasts beautiful hiking and cross country ski trails, stunning lakes and beaches, shopping, dining, fishing, art galleries, and more. Additionally Whitefish Mountain Resort provides residents with epic skiing and snowboarding in the Winter along with mountain biking, zip lines, an aerial adventure park, summit restaurant, and alpine slide in the Summer. In this city moving guide I will discuss housing costs, schools, recreation, amenities, and pros and cons of choosing Whitefish over other cities in Flathead County.