Why visit Bigfork
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 10 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include North Shore Farm, Kootenai Lodge Historic District and Wayfarers Unit - Flathead Lake State Park.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 18°F, and about 51 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Bigfork
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bigfork
Bigfork is a census-designated place (CDP) in Flathead County, Montana, United States. It is within Montana's Rocky Mountains. The population was 5,118 at the 2020 census, up from 4,270 in 2010.
From the Wikipedia article Bigfork, Montana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
North Shore Farm
Farm and orchard · 4.5 mi
1803 MT-82, Somers
Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00; Sa 09:00-16:00
Museums and landmarks5
Kootenai Lodge Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.6 mi
Historic district in Montana, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes10
Flathead Lake Brewing Co. & Pubhouse
Brewery and winery · 2.0 mi
116 Holt Drive, Bigfork
History
Some say the name "Bigfork" is derived from the Salish name for the area. However, Bigfork is a fork where two rivers, the Flathead River and the Swan River, flow in to the Flathead Lake. There are reports of a homestead and orchard immediately north of Bigfork as early as 1885. Everit L. Sliter set out 500 apple, cherry, plum, and pear trees in 1892 on Flathead Lake's east shore. He became the first postmaster in 1901. In 1902, he platted the Bigfork townsite at the mouth of the Swan River. The east shore has since become a major cherry-growing area. Wayfarers State Park lies just south of the community.
From the History section of Bigfork, Montana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Averills Flathead Lake Lodge
Motel and hotel · 2.7 mi
150 Flathead Lodge Road, Bigfork
Churches and places of worship9
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 1.8 mi
121 Crestview Drive, Bigfork
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Map of Bigfork
58 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 18°F | 1.5 in | 13.8 in |
| Feb | 36°F | 19°F | 1.2 in | 11.0 in |
| Mar | 45°F | 26°F | 1.1 in | 6.3 in |
| Apr | 55°F | 32°F | 1.8 in | 2.1 in |
| May | 65°F | 40°F | 2.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 71°F | 47°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 81°F | 51°F | 1.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 48°F | 0.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 70°F | 40°F | 1.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 56°F | 32°F | 1.5 in | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 41°F | 26°F | 1.4 in | 3.4 in |
| Dec | 33°F | 20°F | 1.5 in | 13.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Creston (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Flathead County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Straight-Line Winds)
- 2022-06-16: Severe Storm And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-06-17: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 18 miles away.
- Woods Bay 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Somers 8 mi west, about 13 min by car
- Lakeside 9 mi southwest, about 15 min by car
- Forest Hill Village 10 mi west, about 16 min by car
- Evergreen 14 mi northwest, about 23 min by car
- Kalispell 16 mi northwest, about 25 min by car
- Helena Flats 16 mi northwest, about 26 min by car
- Batavia 18 mi west, about 28 min by car
- Kila 20 mi west, about 32 min by car
- Columbia Falls 21 mi north, about 34 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Bigfork, Montana, Katie Brady from Missoula, Montana, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.