Lauren was in Montana at the end of May to experience Averill’s Flathead Lodge in Big Fork. The trip was part of a gathering of travel agents who are members of the Family Travel Association.  It was a wonderful opportunity to network with agents from around the country who are working in agencies large and small to discuss the future of family travel and how to best promote all the wonderful aspects that go along with it.

Flathead Lake Lodge is a third-generation family run and operated dude ranch.  During the summer, week-long stays attract families from around the country year after year. A variety of accommodation options are available for families including cabin style and connecting rooms.  We stayed in a spacious and new one bedroom loft with two full bathrooms.  A spacious bedroom overlooked a living and dining room with sofabed and showcased typical Western cowboy themed decor.  A wooden porch swing outside the front was the ideal spot for enjoying beautiful lake views.

The feeling of summer camp pervades this unique ranch as it was originally built in 1932 as a boy’s camp.  The daily activities, lake activities and group dining promote that camp-like feeling as well.   Recreation includes a complete horse program highlighted by individual lessons, rodeo events, breakfast and lunch rides, a private elk preserve and more than 2,000 pristine acres for daily trail rides.  The ranch has 120 horses!  In addition to the riding programs, the lodge offers unmatched water activities on Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake West of the Mississippi and one of the cleanest lakes in the world.  Kayaks, sail boats, stand-up paddle boards, water skiing, wake boarding, canoes and more are at your disposal.  We enjoyed a very relaxing kayak trip around the lake as well as an evening motorboat tour.  There is also a lakefront heated pool; massages; hiking; mountain cookouts; barn dances; camp fires; mountain bikes and more.

The resort also showcases a children’s program where family interaction is key and children have the freedom to safely roam the property and indulge in the various activities as they like. Children focused activities include children’s horseback rides, arts & crafts, water activities, tepee overnight, children’s rodeo, organized games and a junior wrangler program to name a few.

The food was also plentiful, fresh and met most special dietary needs.  The hot breakfast buffet changed daily.  A bountiful outdoor buffet lunch also rotated themes each day.  Three course evening plated meals (with child-friendly options) were served in the main dining room with open seating.  And throughout the day freshly baked goods and drinks were available.  After a first night cocktail hour, parents can get a ride into the town of Big Fork to stock up on any alcohol needs.  There is a good size refrigerator in your room.

Our other dude ranch highlights included riding the mountain bikes into town for the Bigfork Whitewater Festival, an evening steak-out in the Elk Reserve (we got there by firetruck), a visit to Glacier National Park just 35 miles north and the super friendly staff.