TRAVEL AWAITS: Eight Incredibly Cool Mountain Towns To Visit In Northwest Montana

The complete article was published in Travel Awaits on Sept. 25, 2021

We have dear friends who keep a mountain cabin in Essex, an unincorporated community of about a hundred families between the park entrances called East and West Glacier of Glacier National Park. Here are eight cool Montana towns we explored during our visit with them.

The Essex Neighborhood

The first thing we did was to pick huckleberries, “those more flavorful relatives of blueberries that can only grow wild, not capable of being farmed, and costly to bring to market…(on her) ATV we trekked up the hills, settling on a patch that had not been picked. The bushes were thick with the prized fruit and we both came home with little ziplock bags full of berries that eventually found their way into delicious pancakes for breakfast.” Around the neighborhood, there were great A-frame cabins, “a unique neighborhood “lending” library hanging from a tree, the vistas of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River nearby, and a makeshift welcoming center for visiting hunters.”

Hungry Horse and Coram

Hungry Horse, a little bigger census-designated unincorporated community of about 600, is just 40 minutes northwest. The name comes from the dam which serves the area’s water needs and is the hidden gem of a recreational area the town hosts. We loved the Montana Fur Trading Company, a favorite mountain arts store. We also found a unique camp of Jesus Is The Lord Church. The catchment area of businesses in Hungry Horse includes the 400+ residents three minutes north in the little town of Coram, Montana. That is where our other friends from Viewpoint camp on land they own on a smartly laid-out RV lot.

Whitefish and Kalispell

The popular ski resort and tourist town of Whitefish where almost 8,000 live is just 20 minutes northwest of Hungry Horse and 15 minutes away is its partner mountain city of 25,000, Kalispell.  

In downtown Whitefish, we spent some time in the Great Northern Railway Depot, the historic site of the still operating Amtrak Station through which the following pass: the train rides of the Canadian Rockies and the oil transported from the areas around Cut Bank. The Whitefish Museum is also housed on-site with lots of memorabilia. Including “the historic Bruck (bus+truck), a one-coach train that used to ferry people from the station to local spurs. “

We also went to the Whitefish City Beach. “Bushes thick with yellow flowers created a pretty natural boundary for the parking lot. A pretty little cottage housed a small visitor center and a nice stone sign marks the entry. Imagine our pleasant surprise to come across and photograph a pair of whitetail Bambies traipsing down the grassy area! “

Our friends led us to the city of Kalispell, Montana for a place to have lunch since all the restaurants were full in Whitefish. It has “all the conveniences of a good-sized US city so if you cannot find it in Whitefish, go to Kalispell.” They also took us to the most popular breakfast place in the area called NIckel Charles' Restaurant and Casino. “Marvel at its transportation-themed décor hanging from the ceiling and feast on the heartiest day-opener you will ever have.”

Cutback and Browning

The landscape changed when we drove east of Essex on the way to Calgary. “There appeared hundreds of cattle grazing on great fields of grass. Soon, however, they changed into herds of big bison! When you get to the town of Browning (population of about 1,000), you are sure to have reached a different territory. It is the headquarters and the only incorporated town on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. There are the usual casinos and Native-American shops.”

 Cut Bank, with a bigger population of 3,000, is just 50 minutes east. The area’s oil and gas industry started here in the 1920s.  A 27-ft. tall concrete penguin erected in 1989 proclaims it as the “Coldest Spot in the Nation” even if the record has been surpassed by Alaska and Roger’s pass north of Helena, Montana. The cool town of Cut Bank is a shortcut to the Sweetgrass-Coutts border crossing just 50 minutes away.  

Dillon, the Gateway

Dillon was our overnight stop on the way from Boise, Idaho to Essex, Montana, and also on the way down from Calgary after crossing the border.  We found the time to visit three cool places in Dillon.

The Bannack State Park is a different kind of ghost town. “It is 1,600 acres at over 5,000 ft. elevation, complete with all the deserted buildings of a town: a restaurant/saloon, a hotel, a church, a school, the governor’s house, and many fine examples of mountain cabins of the time. Here, you can really imagine Bannack’s bustling life during its heyday.”

The Clark's Lookout State Park sits atop a hill where William Clark of the Lewis and Clark fame stood on August 13, 1805, and took compass readings of three distant landmarks. In fact, there is an engraved compass face to mark the spot.

The Atomic 79 Boots & Western Gear is a popular boot repair shop that has turned into a huge outlet for all kinds of cowboy boots and other western gear, like clothes, hats, mountain home décor, knives, etc. The store ships items all over America. 

On both nights we stayed, we discovered great places to get a bite and feel the vibe. Old folks congregated at Sparky's Garage, while the younger ones frequented Mac's Last Cast. 

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