Things to Do in Polson, Montana

Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake by surface area in the western U.S., covering about 191 square miles. Polson’s waterfront parks put you right on it. Salish Point Park has a beach, a roped-off swimming area between two fishing docks and walking paths, and Sacajawea Park next door has lawn, shade trees and a lakeside sidewalk.

★ Good to know Salish Point has no concessions, so bring your own food and water. Downtown restaurants are a short walk away.

This 2,160-acre island is the largest in Flathead Lake and a unit of Flathead Lake State Park. It has old-growth ponderosa pine, grassland trails, bighorn sheep, mule deer, eagles and a handful of wild horses. It’s day-use only and reachable only by boat, with six designated landing sites and no public dock.

★ Good to know The park doesn’t provide transportation. Flathead Lake Boat Tours runs private seasonal trips that land on the island, or you can rent a boat and go yourself. Pets aren’t allowed on the island.

Formerly Kerr Dam, this concrete arch dam was finished in 1938 at the outlet of Flathead Lake and stands about 205 feet tall. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes bought it in 2015 and their company, Energy Keepers, runs it. A public overlook west of town has a stone-step path leading down toward the canyon.

★ Good to know The overlook gates are seasonal, roughly mid-April through mid-October, and the path is steep with loose footing, so wear sturdy shoes.

This museum calls itself the largest collection of antique artifacts in Montana, with more than 600,000 items. Displays run from arrowheads to cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles, firearms and a 65-foot logging towboat, the Paul Bunyan. Outside is a pioneer village with a sod-roofed log cabin, general store, school and blacksmith shop.

★ Good to know It’s open year-round. Live History Days fall on the third weekend of July, and Winterfest on the second Saturday of January.

This downtown museum at 708 Main St. tells the story of the Mission Valley and the Flathead Indian Reservation. It holds the Lambert Trading Post, the first building in the Polson area, plus a stagecoach, chuckwagon, Salish and Kootenai collections and a saddle Calamity Jane used in a Wild West show.

★ Good to know It’s a seasonal museum, open roughly mid-May to mid-September, so check before you go outside summer.

Local artists founded this nonprofit gallery on Main Street in 1971, and member artists still run it. New shows go up about every six weeks, and the gift shop sells ceramics, jewelry, fiber art and woodwork. Its Art4Polson program is behind the murals appearing on downtown buildings.

★ Good to know The gallery also runs the Courthouse Art Festival on the Lake County Courthouse lawn on the second Saturday of August.

This microbrewery sits just off Main Street at 6 10th Ave. E. Regulars include Port Polson Pilsner, Golden Grizzly Ale and Wildhorse Island Pale Ale, and it makes house sodas too. Lazy Bear BBQ handles the food on site.

★ Good to know You can take beer home by the growler or six-pack.

The farmers market sets up on 3rd Avenue West downtown, in front of the Cove Deli, every Friday morning from May to October. In late July, the Flathead Cherry Festival takes over Main Street to celebrate the lake’s cherry crop, with artists, food, a chalk art contest and cherry pit spitting.

★ Good to know The cherry festival lands on the last weekend of July. That’s peak cherry season on the lake’s east shore.