Flathead Lake Lodge – #PictureMontana

My friends at Expedia.ca sent me on an epic journey to unite with other travel bloggers from around the globe and experience Montana for the very first time. While we visited many special places, one is permanently etched into my memory…

There are some places I’ll never forget. Flathead Lake Lodge in Glacier Country Montana is one of them. But I can’t quite put a finger on exactly why. All I know is that it left me with a feeling — warmth in my heart, happiness in my soul. Every minute I spent on the 2,000-acre property felt like it had purpose and made my eyes twinkle…

Unforgettable. Pristine. Tranquil. There aren’t enough words to describe this slice of paradise. The family-run dude ranch just oozes magic from every crevice. It’s a place where dreams you didn’t even know you had come true (like riding off into the sunset sporting a cowboy hat). And while I usually await the golden hour for that special ray of light during my trips, it felt as though Flathead Lake Lodge was somehow always beaming. Perhaps it’s an internal light — one fuelled by the genuine and incredibly hospitable family who’ve been running the ranch since 1945. There is simply no place like it…

The dock photographed above is a place I could sit forever. Perched above the largest (and cleanest) freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. One look at the sun dipping below the horizon put everything into perspective. For a few minutes I was more present than I’ve been in a very long time…

Everything felt so… visceral at Flathead Lake Lodge. Especially when the ranchers took us out to pasture to get a closer look at their breathtaking horses (yes, that’s one of the amazing activities you can do onsite). I stood there in sheer awe as dozens of horses galloped by. My heart palpitated as if I was running with them, my arm hair spiked up and I lost my cowboy hat jumping up and down with excitement. What a rush!

Some of the horses came so close that I could almost feel their breath on my face. I caught one of my new travel buddies, Courtney Scott, sharing a magical moment with one…

It was a dreamy experience for the entire group. Everywhere I looked, people were smiling from ear-to-ear…

And as if things could get any better, we were treated to a ride through a magical forest which led to a good old-fashioned cookout… My very first!!

Sigh, we were real cowboys for those few days at Flathead Lake Lodge. I actually don’t think anyone took their hats off as we moseyed around the property. They were custom-shaped with love by Larry after all…

Ok, we made an exception when lounging by the pool…

Yup, the dude ranch has a heated outdoor pool. And tennis courts. And beach volleyball courts… and AND offers: sailing, canoe races, fly fishing lessons, horseback riding, SUPs, campfires at night etc. etc. Best part? It’s all included in the rate!! Woot. This is the kind of place to head for a week to unplug and recharge with the friends or fam. Trust me, you won’t regret it. In fact, they almost had to drag me out. I truly fell in love with the property and the staff. But it was the lake that won my heart over. Never have I ever seen water this clear…

Coming from a city that has three times the population of the entire state of Montana, I was completely blown away by the serene and magnificent Flathead Lake Lodge. A place where mountains replace skyscrapers, bird songs replace sirens and shorelines replace sidewalks. This, my friends, is heaven on earth…

A huge thanks to Expedia.ca for inviting me on this journey. To read more about my new huckleberry addiction, what I feasted on in Missoula or posts from all of the other bloggers on the trip, head here. You can also see everyone’s social shares via #PictureMontana. All flights, accomodations and meals were paid for as part of this press trip.