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Chambers Team Up to Open Visitor Center in West Glacier

New visitor center in West Glacier depot will promote Flathead Valley

By Justin Franz

The Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Bigfork chambers of commerce are teaming up to open a visitor center in West Glacier in hopes of promoting the Flathead Valley to the millions of people who visit the region’s biggest attraction.

Whitefish Chamber of Commerce Director Kevin Gartland said the kiosk would be at the Glacier National Park Conservancy’s bookstore inside the West Glacier depot. The visitor center will be manned every day by chamber employees from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and is expected to open July 1.

“Two million people go to Glacier National Park every year and not all of them go to Whitefish, Columbia Falls or Bigfork,” Gartland said. “We want to tap into that market.”

Gartland said that chamber groups in Kalispell, Lakeside, Evergreen and Havre have also expressed interest in getting involved with the depot kiosk. The visitor center will take up one corner of the conservancy’s bookstore and will have maps, brochures and guides.

The visitor center will be open through Labor Day.