Kalispell

Kalispell is a town in Montana, near Glacier National Park. The name of the town means "flat land above the lake" in Salish, a Native American language. The population is about 23,000 (2016).

Understand
Kalispell is the largest city in the Flathead Valley. The Flathead Valley is a unique area of Montana created by the forces of glacier processes. The valley is a testament to the wonders nature can create.

Today, the Flathead Valley offers a variety of recreational activities including skiing (considering world class Whitefish Mountain Resort is nearby), fishing, camping, water sports, climbing and old fashioned exploring. The city of Kalispell is full of shopping and restaurants and is also just north of Flathead Lake, which is the USA's largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi.

A number of smaller towns surround Kalispell giving visitors a chance to explore. Find additional restaurants and picturesque views in Evergreen, Lakeside, and Somers.

By plane
The  is a city-owned airport for public general aviation use. The airport is southeast of the city center along US Hwy 93.

For commercial flights, the nearest airport to Kalispell, Whitefish and Glacier National Park is:

By car
You can take either Exit 96 on I-90 near Missoula and head north on U.S. 93, or take Exit 364 on I-15 at Shelby and head west past Glacier National Park. U.S. 2 continues west through the mountains into northern Idaho and eventually reaches Spokane from the north, while U.S. 93 heads northwest into British Columbia, eventually reaching Cranbrook.

By train
The nearest is in Whitefish,  north of Kalispell along Hwy 93. The train station is at 500 Depot St in the north side of downtown Whitefish. It is only served by:
 * Amtrak Empire Builder which runs once daily (towards each direction) between Spokane & Chicago via Glacier National Park (West Glacier stop) in one direction and Libby in the opposite direction. The westbound train splits in Spokane with one half continuing towards Seattle and the other towards Portland while the eastbound train joins in Spokane for the onward trip to Chicago.

Get around
Walk, drive, bike, or take the Mountain Climber to get around. The city isn't too large, so you shouldn't get lost.

Buy
North Kalispell is the shopping area of the city. Stores include most of the nationwide chains.

For those who prefer the more traditional shopping mall, the Kalispell Center Mall is at 20 North Main Street. Anchored by JCPenney, it also includes a Red Lion Hotel.

Connect
Kalispell is part of the market region of Spokane, Washington, despite being in a different time zone. Local Montana over-the-air TV networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox have their weekday primetime from 7PM to 10PM, while those from Spokane are from 9PM to midnight (which is quite unusual).

Stay safe
Roads outside of town are mostly two-lane and winding. Naturally, use extra caution when snowing. It is advisable to turn on lights during the day in any rain. This gives better visibility of your vehicle to oncoming traffic.

Go next

 * Glacier National Park
 * Cranbrook in British Columbia, Canada
 * Missoula, Montana
 * Coeur d'Alene, Idaho