Flathead Guidebooks, LLC

09/05/2025

FYI for those wanting to hike in the Tally Lake area this weekend.

08/31/2025

As we head into the fall, just a reminder that bears are entering their time of 'bulking up' for hibernation, so they are very food focused and way less tolerant of others 'interferring' with their eating spots. And, this encounter in Glacier could have been much, much worse without bear spray - always take it when you explore and have it accessible at all times.

A female hiker was injured by a bear near Lake Janet on Wednesday afternoon, marking the first reported injury due to a bear encounter in Glacier National Park this year. The injured 34-year-old was hiking westbound with a partner when a medium brown-colored sow emerged from the brush and charged he...

08/27/2025

Among the long list of unbelievable accomplishments in his long and energetic life, including co-founding the Glacier Institute and heading the Geology Department at Flathead Valley Community College, Lex Blood and his partner in life, Judith Pressmar, also wrote the Geology Notes sections in multiple books that Flathead Guidebooks published. And, may I add . . . he was just a great guy I loved hanging out with.

If you knew this tremendous man, please join us for a memorial in his honor on September 20th at Lone Pine State Park from 12-2 p.m. - RSVP requested.

07/02/2025

Ahhhhhh, Jewel Basin is still as lovely today as it was the first time I hiked it in the 1980's. Although it is getting more visits these days than 'back in the day,' here are a few little tips to make it a trip that you'll be glad to remember (except the road - it's still hard even though it's been recently graded😮).

1st - Plan an early start; We got the last spot in the Camp Misery parking lot yesterday at 10 a.m. . . . and it was a Tuesday.

2nd - Take a photo of the excellent map that is posted by the administrative cabin - it will definitely come in handy as you travel around the Basin.

3rd - Consider going the opposite direction of the crowds. We opted to go through Noisy Basin Notch/Twin Lakes route instead of toward Mount Aeneas and/or Birch Lake, and because of that choice, we saw no one until we were almost back at the parking lot at the end of the day.

4th - Be aware that the Basin itself is still snowbound in many places and routefinding may be required. Yesterday, the Wildcat Lake Trail was totally buried under snow all the way from Twin Lakes over to Wildcat Lake.

5th - Remember: If you pack it in, pack it out. We found burned food containers and torn ziplock bags in a huge firepit at Wildcat Lake that looked recent - was so infuriating that someone could walk through such beautiful, pristine country and intentionally leave their trash behind.

And, of course, please enjoy yourself in this unique, beautiful landscape that is free of snow only a few months of the year. Let's keep it beautiful and wild for future generations!

06/29/2025

Heads up for anyone heading to South Spencer Trails - thanks so much for the hard work, Whitefish Legacy Partners - The Whitefish Trail!

06/16/2025

Summer has arrived - yay! Glacier View Mountain's trail is an absolute wildflower delight right now - from glacier lilies to beargrass in bloom. But, you will need to work for those visual rewards😉 (Day Hikes Around the Flathead, page 90). We saw 3 people all day.

05/31/2025

Feel like we won a mini-lottery today to see Montana's state flower, the bitterroot, in bloom at Lone Pine State Park. Beautiful surprises often come in tiny packages.

Stormy will be presenting at Lone Pine for their womens' weekend retreat, B.O.W. or Becoming an Outdoors Woman, tomorrow. Fingers crossed that the bitterroot will still be in bloom!

05/27/2025

Everyone loves to feel the sun and breeze after a long winter's sleep! A reminder that bears are definitely out and about in our valley bottoms, so always be bear aware even on trails close to town.

No such thing as a bad hair day when you're in the mountains.

When we protect open spaces, every animal can roam, forage, take a nap in the sun, shake off the bugs, fix their hair or do whatever else they need to do to thrive on our shared landscapes.

Vital Ground is diligently conserving habitat so animals of all kinds have the space they need. Join us at www.VitalGround.org

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04/12/2025

My family spent our summer vacations at Holland Lake Lodge all the way from . . . Great Falls! Make sure to stay informed on this beautiful, beautiful area and have your say in its future.

The Flathead National Forest will be hosting a community meeting for the Holland Lake Lodge Permit Reissuance Project. The purpose of the meeting is to provide information and answer questions to help facilitate public comment submission.

The meeting will take place on April 17, 2025, from 5:30pm – 7:30pm, at the Swan Valley Elementary School. The school is located at 6423 MT-83, Condon, MT.

To join virtually, click here before the meeting begins: https://usfs.zoomgov.com/j/1614708319?pwd=EJeU3yZoSLI

For more information on the project, check out our latest news release: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/flathead/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1232508

03/26/2025

Bears are coming out of hibernation now, so make sure to carry bear spray with you whenever you explore the greater Flathead region, including within the valley! Be safe and be bear aware.

03/11/2025

We had a book signing at the Whitefish Community Center yesterday which was well organized by this man, Donald Stolte! We were able to donate over $400.00 to the Community Center because of the generous turnout of new friends and old who purchased copies of the latest Day Hikes Around the Flathead. That was fun!

Send a message to learn more

03/01/2025

Lex and his wife Judith Pressmar contributed to the success of Day Hikes Around the Flathead over the years with a chapter focusing on Northwest Montana's geology. Thank you for everything, Lex and Judith; may Lex's enthusiasm and passion for the outdoors live on through us all.

William “Lex” Blood had only lived in the Flathead Valley a few years when the first Cabinet Creek mines threatened to poison Northwest Montana waterways, but the former miner quickly became an unlikely hero when he led the effort to stall the projects.