Northwest Getaway: Whitefish, Montana

Spring in Whitefish

Find a world-class experience in a small mountain town

written by Kevin Max

photography by Whitney Whitehouse

Whitefish, Montana, may be known as the host for skiers at Whitefish Resort in the winter or as the gateway to Glacier National Park in the summer, but it’s the Whitefish culture of creativity itself that pervades all seasons. No more than 10,000 people live in this small town surrounded by the Salish Mountains to the west and Flathead National Forest to the east, but it nonetheless ticks many boxes for world-class cuisine, hospitality and recreation.

In its earliest civilizations, Salish, Kootenai and Pend d’Oreilles tribes inhabited the area, fishing the banks of the Whitefish Lake and Whitefish River as it winds through what is now downtown Whitefish.

The outdoors and recreation are still the draw for many Whitefish residents and visitors. For hikers and runners, there are scores of trails in the surrounding forests and mountains. Lion Mountain Trailhead is a favorite easy 2.6-mile loop that winds beneath towering pines and overlooks Skyles Lake. West of town, Nordic skiing is still viable in spring when there is good snowpack. The Glacier Nordic Center is the starting point for skinny skis. Seven miles north of town, Whitefish Mountain Resort is an independently owned alternative to monstrous and commercial alpine ski resorts, with 3,000 acres and more than 2,500 feet vertical.

Downtown Whitefish at dusk. Boutiques, restaurants, galleries and outdoor gear shops cover all the main food groups.

For lodging, consider the amazing little bed-and-breakfast on the northern edge of town, Good Medicine Lodge, once named one of the best ski lodges in the country by USA Today. This eco-friendly, nine-bedroom lodge is made from cedar, with a communal cozy den heated by a wood-burning stove. Perhaps the best features are its exquisite breakfasts featuring homemade sourdough bread, lemon-blueberry Dutch babies, pecan-cinnamon muffins, perfectly made croque madames and artisanally roasted Good Medicine Coffee.

Good Medicine Lodge is a lovely retreat on the edge of town.

Good Medicine Coffee roaster Ryan Grenier.

Ditch your car by renting e-bikes at Pedego or Montana E-Bikes. Make downtown your destination and take a relaxing ride along the Whitefish River at Riverside Park.

If you didn’t take your breakfast at Good Medicine, Amazing Crêpes downtown on Central Avenue lives up to its billing. Montana Coffee Traders, across the street, is a hopping place to grab good coffee and a Danish to go. Things to die for include the chocolate raspberry brioche or the ham and gruyère croissant at Fleur Bake Shop.

If you’re planning a long day at Glacier or the surrounding trails, stop in at Markus Community Market’s deli for gourmet grab-and-go sandwiches and wraps.

Cruising along Riverside Park in downtown Whitefish.

Amazing Crêpes will satisfy the sweet or savory breakfast palate.

After a day riding or hiking at Glacier National Park, take in more creative local culture at FoR Fine Art gallery, where you’ll find many talented Montana artists exhibiting. Cruise down East Second Street to Lupfer Avenue and Cawdrey Gallery, where Glacier National Park is the canvas for artists.

FoR Fine Art, where local artists are well represented.

If dinner is on your mind, head to Ciao Mambo, billed as “mountain Italian,” where you’ll find all of the classic Italian dishes you would expect in a sophisticated Italian eatery with a bustling kitchen. The lasagna and cioppino are excellent. The wine list is extensive and dominated by Italian reds with a good selection from California, Oregon and Washington.

Just around the corner on Railway Street, you’ll find the small and chic Spotted Bear Spirits, where cocktails are made with their own gin, vodka, agave and bourbon. What’s Your Sign, a vodka-based cocktail with hibiscus tea, ginger syrup, lime and angostura bitters is as good as it sounds. Sit back and listen for the whistle of the Empire Builder as it departs the historic Tudor-style Whitefish depot for Seattle just one block over. Raise a glass to those who were lucky enough to disembark in Whitefish.

Spotted Bear Spirits is a hip little cocktail bar serving its own distilled spirits.

Grab your e-bike and head back to Good Medicine Lodge’s neighbor, Bonsai Brewing Project, a tasty small-batch brewhouse with indoor seating and an outdoor beer garden. The single-hop pale ale Initiation and Zenith, a rye IIPA, are good examples of Bonsai’s brewing artistry and the culture of creativity in this small Montana mountain town.