Montana State Parks offers a variety of summer programs to educate, build community and encourage the exploration of Flathead Lake’s unique offerings.
The summer kids’ series, “Happy Campers,” runs in July and August at Flathead Lake State Park’s Wayfarers unit in Bigfork. Topics include leave no trace, careful camping, maps, compasses and hiking. The rangers use this series to teach outdoor skills to children ages 8 to 14.
Meanwhile, the ranger-led Evening Campground Programs explore topics based on the location. Big Arm, Finley Point, Wayfarers, and West Shore all offer a version of this program, which runs approximately 45 minutes. The programs are free for registered campers.
Guided hikes at Flathead Lake State Park are themed to help hikers explore different aspects of the lake’s ecosystem, including fauna of Flathead Lake and a walk through time. Hikes are held at Big Arm, West Shore and Wayfarers, leaving from each park unit at 10:30 a.m. on designated days and are one to two miles in length.
The “Little Park Explorer” series at Wayfarers is designed for children ages 4 through 7 to foster a love for the great outdoors. Parents are encouraged to bring their children to the hour-long programs, which include “Nature Journaling,” “Wild Water” and “Who Pooped in the Park?”
All programs cost $4 per person and $10 per family. For more information on any of these programs, including dates and schedules, visit www.stateparks.mt.gov.