Travel guide

MVMNT Conference is intentionally built with time for you to explore all Montana has to offer! We want to help you plan the best summer adventure yet so we've pulled together a bunch of info to help you plan your travel, transportation, lodging, activities, food, and drink so you can start planning your summer experience!

  • It’s the age-old question: journey or destination? We say, ‘Why not both!’

    For most people, traveling to the northwest corner of Montana looks like covering a lot of ground. But luckily, there are great options for getting here, each of which will make your overall experience at MVMNT Conference that much better.

    Fly
    Glacier National Park International Airport (FCA) in Kalispell is a short drive from the MVMNT Conference venue. Pro tip: if flying, make sure to book flights early to avoid the pricing rush of peak summer tourist season.

    Car Rentals
    FCA also hosts all the major national car rental companies for getting around while you’re here. Our Uber fleet is limited here, so if you’re flying, you’ll want to rent cars/vans. Flathead Valley summer is the premium season here, so car rentals book up faster than hotels.

    Drive
    Want to take the scenic route? No matter which direction you take to get to MVMNT Conference, you are guaranteed to travel through some of North America's most beautiful scenery. I-90 travels over multiple mountain ranges, whether approaching from the east or west. Not to mention, coming to the Flathead Valley from the south on Highway 93 offers excellent views of the Mission Mountains and Flathead Lake–the biggest freshwater lake in the west.

    Load up a van or bus with your youth group and turn your MVMNT Conference experience into an unforgettable road trip that will leave you in awe of God’s creation before the first session even begins.

  • This is for the wild ones out there - you know who you are. Wake up to a serene big sky sunrise with unobstructed views of the Swan Mountains, within walking distance of the event venue by staying in our campground.

    Campers will be responsible for bringing their own camping gear (tents, sleeping bags, etc.). Running water will be available on-site, but showers will not so plan accordingly with trips to some of our pristine local rivers and lakes for a refreshing swim.

  • For those of you looking for a more refined camping experience, the Flathead Valley has many options, whether it be RV sites, motor inns, national parks, national forests or state park campgrounds. Here are some of our recommendations:

    Wayfarers State Park
    8600 MT Hwy 35
    Bigfork MT 59911

    Bigfork Motorcoach Resort
    8546 Highway 35
    Bigfork MT 59911
    (406) 407-0693

    Outback Montana RV Park & Campground
    13772 Outback Lane
    Bigfork MT 59911
    (406) 837-6973

    Flathead Lake State Park, West Shore
    17768 MT Hwy 93
    Lakeside MT 59922
    406-755-3044 October to April
    406-844-3044 May to September

    Swan Lake Campground
    Swan Lake MT
    406-752-7924

    Flathead Lake State Park, Finley Point
    31453 S. Finley Point Rd
    Finley Point MT 59860
    406-837-3041

    Whitefish Lake State Park
    1615 W Lakeshore Dr
    Whitefish MT 59937
    406-862-3991

    Lake Mary Ronan State Park
    50623 Lake Mary Ronan Rd
    Proctor MT 59929
    406-849-5082

    Browse other surrounding campgrounds:
    Flathead Flathead National Forest Forest
    Campgrounds and Forest Service Cabins
    Glacier National Park

  • Camping not your thing? No shame in a shower! Grab a hotel, but be sure to act fast - these rooms won’t be available long.

    Hilton Garden Inn
    (406) 756-4500

    Red Lion Hotel
    (406) 751-5050

    My Place Hotel
    (406) 300-3243

  • Glacier National Park
    Glacier Park is an outdoor adventurer’s paradise that draws millions of visitors from all around the world every year to experience its unparalleled majesty. Find yourself surrounded by craggy mountains, crisp alpine lakes, and stunning wildlife. Activities in Glacier Park include hiking, swimming, paddling, scenic drives, wildlife viewing, and sightseeing. Access is limited and requires pre-purchased permits. For the latest information on permitting and the road status inside Glacier National Park, visit the park’s website.

    Bike Kalispell
    Montana’s Flathead Valley has abundant trails, routes and roads for biking, from two-lane highways to singletrack and paved paths. Rent a bike at Sportsman & Ski Haus (or bring your own) to set out on some of the best riding terrain in the country. A few to note: Foy’s to Blacktail Trails, Swan River Nature Trail, Great Northern Rails to Trails, and the Whitefish Trail.

    Horseback Riding
    One of the best ways to get out into nature around Glacier National Park is on a horseback trail ride. A short 6-mile drive from Kalispell will take you to Artemis Acres Paint Horse Ranch, where you can choose from a one-hour ride, two-hour ride or half-day horseback ride on the ranch’s 1,080 acres (with the option to combine your ride with a BBQ dinner). Meanwhile, Swan Mountain Outfitters offers horseback rides inside Glacier National Park, as well as at their corral in West Glacier. They also have daily llama treks into the Swan Mountains.

    Water Explorations
    No matter which direction you go from Kalispell, you’ll be met by abundant waterways, including rivers, streams, waterfalls, ponds and lakes. Book a guided fly-fishing trip with an experienced outfitter, tour the waters of Flathead Lake on a kayaking tour with Sea Me Paddle, float through whitewater on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River with a local raft company, dip your toes in the water at Hungry Horse Reservoir or relax at one of the state parks around the valley – all of which have water access.

    White Water Rafting at Glacier Park:
    11970 US-2, West Glacier, MT 59936
    406-387-5555

    Great Northern Whitewater Rafting:
    12127 US-2 suite a, West Glacier, MT 59936
    406-888-8754

    Explore Downtown Kalispell
    The heartbeat of the valley, Kalispell’s downtown corridor is walkable and is home to abundant shops, boutiques, restaurants, galleries, coffee shops and watering holes. Be sure to spend time perusing made-in-Montana offerings, dig into grub at a Kalispell food truck, enjoy farm-to-fork dining (as well as fresh sushi, delectable BBQ, tasty burgers and family-style Italian), get your cowboy on at Western Outdoors and create custom fragrances and oils at Sage & Cedar.

    Hiking
    While Glacier National Park has 734 miles of trails, the Flathead National Forest (which is the park’s neighbor to the south) is full of nearly endless trails for day trips, half-day hikes or overnight excursions, as well as adventures like biking, camping, fishing and floating. Local favorites include Jewel Basin – complete with stunning views from Mount Aeneas (and even overlooking Bigfork Rodeo, the site of MVMNT Conference!) – and the Danny On Trail at Whitefish Mountain Resort. Additional hiking destinations can be found on the 6 miles of trails at Lone Pine State Park, the Foy’s to Blacktail Trail and the Swan River Nature Trail.

    Other Attractions

    Rockfish
    6475 Hwy 93 South, #13, Whitefish, MT 59937
    (406) 862-8955

    Zip-lining
    1015 Glades Dr, Whitefish, MT 59937
    406-862-2900

    Alpine Slides
    3808 Big Mountain Rd, Whitefish, MT 59937
    406-862-2900

    Rock Climb Montana
    205 Cottonwood Dr, Whitefish, MT 59937
    406-306-0005

    Glacier Ziplines
    7840 Hwy 2 E, Columbia Falls, MT 59912
    406-892-8020

    Local Parks

    Lawrence Park
    Volunteer Park
    Herron Park
    Lone Pine State Park
    Wayfarers State Park

  • Bigfork
    Flathead Lake Brewing Company
    Echo Lake Cafe
    Fieldheads Coffee
    Pocketstone Cafe
    Dairy Queen
    Taco Mexico
    Burgertown
    Subway
    Rosa’s Pizza

    Kalispell
    The Desoto Grill
    MacKenzie River Pizza Co.
    Chipotle
    Chick-Fil-A
    Qdoba
    Panera Bread
    Ceres Bakery
    Colter Coffee
    Sable Coffee
    Starbucks
    Bonelli’s Bistro
    MOD Pizza

    Whitefish
    Craggy Range
    Buffalo Cafe
    Amazing Crepes
    Folklore Coffee
    Wild Coffee
    Loula’s Cafe
    Swift Creek Cafe
    Jersey Boys Pizzeria
    MacKenzie River Pizza Co.

    Grocery Stores/Gas Stations/Pharmacies
    If you’re looking to stock up on the groceries to cook yourself, grab last-minute snacks, or just need an energy drink refuel, hit up one of these local stores.

    Harvest Foods
    Rosauers
    Walgreens
    Super 1
    Safeway

LET US HELP YOU CUSTOM-BUILD YOUR TRIP!

We get it–Montana isn't the easiest place to get to (which is why we love it), and maybe as you think of bringing an entire Youth Group, you don't even know where to begin. We've got you! LET US help you custom-build your trip, and answer any questions you have.