When Everett Sliter first laid eyes on the land at the base of the Swan Ridge, Rocky Mountains, where the untamed white water of the Swan River ends its journey by becoming Flathead Lake, he knew he’d found some place pretty special.
Situated at about 3000 feet altitude, Bigfork enjoys a mild, temperate climate.
Daytime highs in July average 82 degrees and 27 
degrees in January. Average January low is 11 degrees and the average annual snowfall is around 49 inches.
From mountain slopes covered with spruce, fir, pine, and aspen, where whitetail deer still roam freely and bald eagles soar majestically, to the placid 195-square mile surface of Flathead Lake, there are places around Bigfork that still haven’t changed all that much since the first white settlers arrived.
You can still go fly fishing along the banks of the Swan, bike on endless country roads in the summer and cross-country ski in the winter, or take a catamaran out onto the lake in time to catch the stunning splendor of a “Big Sky Country” sunset.
But plenty has changed over the years.
Bigfork is now easily accessible from almost anywhere in the world in just a few hours. Art galleries, world-class restaurants, and quirky, unique shops line the downtown area. In fact, Bigfork has been designated one of the “100 Best Small Art Towns of the Nation” and “One of the 50 Great Towns of the West.” Not too shabby for a town whose full time resident population only numbers around 1400.
Over on Electric Avenue, you’ll find the Bigfork Summer Playhouse, which has been hailed as one of the Northwest’s finest repertory theatres for the last 40 years.
Just outside of town, there’s the Eagle Bend Golf Course, 27 holes designed from the gently rolling hills by notorious Jack Nicklaus. And during the holiday season, the always picturesque village becomes a scene right out of Norman Rockwell. Besides Eagle Bend Golf Course, other popular local recreational facilities include Eagle Bend Marina, Wayfarers State Park on Flathead Lake, Montana Athletic Club, Jewel Basin Recreation Area, and Swan Lake State Park.
There is a small clinic in town, and Kalispell Regional Hospital is only 20 miles away.
Bigfork is home to two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. Ferndale Air Strip, a grass landing strip, is within five miles, and Glacier International Airport is 25 miles away in Kalispell. In addition, Amtrak’s Empire Builder (featuring sleeping car service) makes two daily stops (once in each direction) in Whitefish.
After becoming a popular vacation spot just a few years ago, many of those visitors discovered that Bigfork also makes a great place to live. From rustic cabins to bayside condos, the quality of life here is unbeatable.
