Hungry Horse Reservoir

There are three campgrounds on the east side and six on the west side of the reservoir. There are four boat launch sites also with many opportunities for fishing and hiking. Water-skiing and swimming are also very popular.

Big Creek Campground

This is located 20 miles north of Columbia Falls on the North Fork of the Flathead River. The river is the Western boundary of the park and has been designated a Wild and Scenic River. There are many recreational sites along this rustic route providing river access.

There are many private campgrounds between Columbia Falls and the West entrance to Glacier Park. There is also camping in Glacier Park.

Developed parks include baseball and soccer fields, picnic areas and playgrounds and a waterfall and bandshell. The City operates the Pinewood Family Aquatic Center, a 25 meter competitive swimming pool and a leisure pool with several fixed play features.

Bring the family and enjoy Montana’s biggest and best Water Theme Park – Big Sky Waterpark. Ten exciting slides, huge whirl pool, picnic grounds, beach volley ball, krazy kars and much more.
406-892-5025
www.bigskywaterpark.com

Amazing Ventures, Inc. is a wonderful family recreation park. Challenge the mind with a world class wooden maze. Bumper water boats, bank shot basketball, miniature golf and race car track. Fun for everyone.
406-387-5902

House Of Mystery is Montana’s only natural vortex, producing unusual gravitational energies and mystifying phenomena. A popular family-oriented attraction.
406-892-1210

It is common to find 2 stages of music, hundreds of people and 50-60 vendors selling a wide variety of products from all over the valley. Come join us!

Vendors interested in participating should call Cindy at 892-7955 or email Barry via the contact page at http://www.firstbestplace.org

Glacier National Park

The famous Going-To-The-Sun Road, carved out of solid rock and completed in 1932, is approximately fifty miles long, bisecting the Park east and west. This breathtaking trip to the top of the Continental Divide is one of the most scenic in the world. www.nps.gov/glac/

Ranked among the “50 greatest golf destinations,” by Golf Digest, September 2000

Meadow Lake Golf Resort – Columbia Falls

Nestled in its own private setting and protected by the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains lies this beautiful 18-hole championship golf course. Meadow Lake’s 330 gently rolling acres offer trees, crystal clear lakes and streams, and spectacular mountain views of Glacier Park. 800-321-GOLF, 406-892-8700 or www.meadowlake.com

Glacier View Golf Club – West Glacier

Your biggest challenge is keeping your eye OFF the majestic peaks of Glacier Park and ON the ball! Glacier View Golf Course has always been known as a friendly, relaxing and family oriented course. It is 18 holes of Mountain paradise. 406-888-5471

There are seven other pubic courses within 35-45 minutes of Columbia Falls.

Most courses are open from April through October. The prices range form $20 to $56 around in season. Special packages are available and twilight time prices are offered. You can book tee times on any of the nine Flathead Valley Golf Association courses by calling 800-392-9795.

In 2010, Heritage Days will be celebrated the week of July 19-25.

You can learn more about this year’s celebration, schedule and activities at CFallsHeritageDays.com

With 700 miles of maintained trails in the Park, there are endless opportunities to hike in this beautiful area of Montana.

Jewel Basin

As a designated hiking area, the Jewel is a true hiker’s paradise. Thirty-five miles of trail provide options for hikes of all lengths. While some prefer the day hikes many choose to camp by one of the area’s 25 lakes and enjoy a few hours of fishing. LOCATION: 17 miles east of Kalispell and 18 miles southeast of Columbia Falls.

Columbia Mountain

Columbia Mountain is overlooking Columbia Falls. This provides a wonderful family opportunity to go hiking. This trail head in approximately four miles form Columbia Falls. The first two and a half miles are moderate and offer a wonderful view of the valley. The last five and a half miles to the top is a challenge.

Big Mountain Ski And Summer Resort

Offering some of the best views of Glacier National Park, the Big Mountain has dramatic views, an Environmental Education Center and the Danny On Trail.

Glacier National Park

With more than 700 miles of trails, the Crown of the Continent offers a trail for everyone’s ability. HIDDEN LAKE OVERLOOK is a must for everyone. The trail begins at the Logan Pass Visitor Center Area. The boardwalk protects the fragile alpine fields of wildflowers as the trail gains about 500 feet along the l.5 mile route to the overlook.

Hungry Horse Dam And Reservoir

The dam and reservoir offers excellent recreation opportunities. Each year thousands of tourists come to this area to take part in fishing, boating, camping, water skiing, snowmobiling and hunting. Hidden in the rugged Rocky Mountain Range, the project is located on the South Fork of the Flathead River, 10 miles east of Columbia Falls. Tours of the dam are given during the summer season. Montana is “Big Sky” country where water is the state’s greatest resource. There are many hiking trails into hidden mountain lakes around the 50 miles of rugged road to Spotted Bear Ranger Station. Check the ranger station at Spotted Bear or Hungry Horse Ranger Station.

The premier resource for Flathead Valley events is the FlatheadEvents.net event calendar.

Look for local events at FlatheadEvents.Net.

The murals represent periods in the Columbia Falls of 100 years ago and from the 1920′s and were painted by Clark Heyler (Clark’s Signs of Kalispell) and Maria Vekkos of Whitefish. The project was funded via donations to the Columbia Falls Community Foundation.

The 1900s in Columbia Falls

The first pioneer family to settle in Columbia Falls were Robert and Mary Saurey. They camped near the river on the south edge of what would become Columbia Falls.

Robert Sr. homesteaded here with his wife and growing family, worked in the area woods and lived to be 100 years old.

A forest of western larch, cedar and Ponderosa pine enticed settlers to start the logging industry that still contributes living wages for valley families.


In the next scene, you can see Teakettle and Columbia Mountains in the background.

In this scene, skinner Frank Mateka drives his team of horses out of the woods pulling a wagonload of logs.

Cross-cut sawyers, Oscar and Eddie Tetrault stand on springboards to avoid cutting into the twisted grain at the base of the tree.

100 years later, the forests still have some of these tall stumps left over from century-old logging with cross-cut saws.

The E.H. Snyder Drug Store was located north of the first bank, near the present Sportsman Bar on Nucleus Avenue. It also represents brick buildings built by the Berne Brothers’ brick yard.

Mike and Billy Berne provided bricks for many early buildings, including the Oddfellows Building on 1st Avenue West and the old Catholic church on 4th Avenue West.

The woman walking away is Mrs. Nellie LaFrambois, a Native American woman who sold the area for the townsite of Columbia Falls.

All that is known about her is that she probably belonged to the Kootenai tribe and had several children. She lived on land that is now just south of Glacier Gateway Elementary School on 4th Avenue West.

The man sitting on the bench represents one of the founding fathers of Columbia Falls. Mr. James Talbott lived here after establishing the town in 1891. He died in 1923.

The woman shaking the tablecloth out the upstairs window is Mrs. E.H. Snyder. Her husband owned the drug store. They lived in the apartment upstairs.

The little girl pulling the wagon is Dorothy (Jordan) Brading. Dorothy’s father built the first electric run lumber mill located north of Nucleus Avenue. The wagon has A.L. Jordan Lumber Co. written on a side slat.

Dode is about to introduce her baby brother to Mr. Talbott, who liked to meet each new member of “his” town.

The two men standing are Charlie Howe and Joe Cosley. Howe owned one of the first hotels on Lake McDonald. Cosley was a French-Canadian trapper, early park ranger and artist.

Poker players upstairs include artist Charlie (C.M.) Russell, who would come to town for a game with locals when he stayed at his vacation cabin on Lake McDonald.

Other things to look for:

• A handbill advertising a casting call for locals in the movie, Where Rivers Rise. It was filmed in 1922.
• Reflection of the Gaylord Hotel, which burned down in 1929.
• Reflection of a horse-drawn fire engine represents the destruction of most early buildings due to fires.
• Masons meet upstairs notice. A thank you to the Masons for the use of their buildings for the two murals.
• Two items which are not from the 1920s, but are a tip of the hat to long time Columbia Falls businesses: Cal Crouch’s Watch Repair and Randy’s Barber.

Individuals, local businesses, community groups, youth organizations and others get together to show off their Christmas spirit in the downtown.

The parade starts at 6:30pm and proceeds from the Post Office to Nucleus and 5th Street until complete.

Want to be in the parade?

*Anyone* can participate, just get yourself and your float, vehicles etc in line.  Participants line up their floats, groups and such on the north end of Nucleus, starting about 5:30pm. Dress warm, as sometimes the night can have a chill.

After the parade

Santa always sets aside some time after the parade and is available for kids to visit with inside one of the warm buildings on Nucleus Ave.

After the parade, many take in the lights displayed at the Holiday Village in Marantette Park. Others have their own traditions for Night of Lights, including visiting the local businesses open that night along Nucleus Ave, or sharing a meal at a local restaurant.