Smith Lake near Kila provides excellent access to a variety of outdoors activities, with everything from fishing to bird watching. The lake has a fishing access site that’s managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and located on Smith Lake Road. It’s a perfect place to pull off and enjoy this beautiful area of the Flathead Valley.
The 3-acre fishing access site provides a dock and ramp for boats and two fishing piers where folks can cast a line and enjoy the breeze. Other facilities include a small picnic area and bathrooms.
One of the highlights may be the opportunity to view the variety of birds that call the area home, including ducks, geese, shorebirds, hawks and eagles. Because Smith Lake Road is lightly traveled, it would also be a great spot for a walk to get different views of the lake, giving people even more opportunities to see the area birds.
Located west of Kalispell, the fishing access area is an easy drive for those living in Kalispell and provides an excellent way to get out of town with little effort.
How to get there: Drive seven miles west of Kalispell on U.S. Highway 2 to Kila. Turn left at the Cottage Inn onto Kila Road and drive through the small town. Two miles from Highway 2, take a left onto Smith Lake Road and follow around the lake. The fishing access is located on the left.