Lone Pine State Park is located near downtown Kalispell and offers visitors a great place for year-round recreation.
The park has several miles of trails that are excellent for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing. There are also picnic tables, charcoal grills and fire pits for day use.
If you’re looking for an excellent view of the valley, it doesn’t get any better than Lone Pine State Park. It’s a great place to take visitors to show them the “Big Sky” we call home.
The Visitor Center offers information and holds weekly workshops and children’s activities.
One of the most popular workshops is called “Little Saplings.” The program begins at 11 a.m. every Friday through Aug. 12 at the Lone Pine picnic shelter and is for children ages 4 through 7. The class lasts for one hour and parents are encouraged to attend with their children. The program begins with a nature-themed reading and then teaches lessons in ecology, water cycles, forest habitat, outdoor survival and much more.
“This program gives kids a chance to get outside and learn about the great outdoors,” Ranger Mary Beth Chappelow said. “It’s good for them to learn this stuff at an early age.”
There is a similar program, called “Conifer Kids” that meets on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and is for kids ages 8 to 11.
For more information, contact Lone Pine State Park at (406) 755-2706.
How to get there: If you’re on Main Street in downtown Kalispell, go west on Idaho Street until you get to Meridian Road. Take a left and follow Meridian Road until it becomes Foy’s Lake Road. Drive for about two and a half miles, and then look to your left and you’ll see the entrance to the park.