We Planned Our Perfect Week in Northwest Montana

What would our ideal week look like if we could build it from scratch?

For us, it includes mountain biking, alpine water, small-town food, a campsite beside a lake, and time outside with the dogs.

That was the goal behind our latest trip to Northwest Montana. We wanted to spend several days doing the things we love most and find out whether the week we imagined would actually live up to reality.

We began the trip at a Harvest Host winery, which felt like an appropriate introduction to northern Montana. The area is known for its fruit, so after sampling some unusual fruit wines (including melon and cherry) we continued north toward Flathead Lake in search of fresh cherries.

The timing was not ideal. We had visited the area in late July the year before, and we expected cherry season to be underway again. This time, however, most of the roadside stands were still closed. We were probably a little early, and the peak harvest was still a couple of weeks away.

Eventually, we found an early-season cherry farm and came away with a large box of cherries. It was not the full harvest experience we had hoped for, but it was enough to keep us happy for the rest of the trip.

This visit gave us another chance to spend time beside the water at Flathead Lake, even if we did not get on it. The lake was choppy and the temperature was extremely cold. Our dog, Nia, was not nearly as hesitant. The previous year, algae had kept her out of the water, so she was more than ready to swim this time. Watching her enjoy the lake made the stop worthwhile, even though we decided against paddleboarding.

From Flathead Lake, we continued to Whitefish with no reservation and no backup plan. Whitefish Resort does not take reservations for the type of camping spot we were looking for, so our plan was simply to drive there and find out whether space was available. That is not usually our preferred way to travel, but it worked in our favor.

We found a place in the resort parking area near the base of the mountain. We were close to the lifts, close to the mountain bike trails, and could ride directly from the EarthRoamer to the resort.

Our first riding day was muddy, technical, and physically demanding. The trails were wet enough to cover us—and our bikes—in dirt almost immediately.

That evening, we headed into Whitefish to find a place to watch the Fourth of July fireworks.

There was no practical way to bring the EarthRoamer into the center of town, but with our motorcycle we could camp at the resort, ride into Whitefish, and park near the water. That was exactly the reason we bought the bike.

The next morning, we used the bikes again, this time to ride from the resort into downtown Whitefish. The ride into town was about nine miles, but the destination made the effort worthwhile: crepes. We found a restaurant serving crepes that looked so good they immediately justified the entire ride. 

After Whitefish, we began heading toward one of our favorite lakes: Lake Koocanusa.

We got a late start after dumping and refilling water, finding a dumpster, and picking up groceries. By the time we turned onto the back roads, we expected to arrive around 9 p.m. Fortunately, the summer daylight gave us enough time to navigate the route without driving the final stretch in complete darkness.

We ended up parked directly beside Lake Koocanusa, with water just outside the EarthRoamer. The site was a little more angled than we would have preferred, but the view made the compromise easy.

Finding places where we can boondock directly on a lake is surprisingly difficult. That combination of water access, space, and privacy is one of the reasons Lake Koocanusa remains one of our favorite stops.

We were still working during parts of the trip, but it felt like a summer vacation anyway. That balance is one of the reasons we chose this lifestyle.

Watch the whole trip!