Mountain Lakes of the Swan
With 4,000 glacial potholes, ponds, lakes, marshes, wetlands, and a 1,300-mile network of streams, the Swan Valley is the wettest watershed in Montana
By Kay Bjork
Healthcare
Nursing Home Providers Warn of Impacts from Medicaid Reimbursement Rate Plateau
As the state rescinds its original plans to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates by 3% this year, strained providers consider the path forward
By Zoë BuhrmasterThe Latest
Flathead Living
Meet the Chef: Casa Luna’s Joel Lepe
Lepe worked with Kalispell restaurant owner Ruby Valera to blend traditional Spanish fare with Montana’s rustic regional flair for a dining experience that is both upscale and accessible
By Pete Avery
Tips for Getting into Glacier National Park in 2026
For the first time in five years, visitors can access all of Glacier National Park’s entrances without a vehicle reservation. But visitors will still have to navigate changes in 2026, including Logan Pass parking restrictions, a new reservation-only shuttle system, and construction-related closures. Here’s what to know.
By Tristan Scott
A North Fork Legacy
“Trail Creek: A North Fork Saga” documents the lives and philosophies of two homesteaders on the outskirts of Glacier National Park just south of the U.S.-Canada border through the lens of a wildlife biologist
By Maggie DresserNEWS & FEATURES
Glacier High Wrestling Lawsuit Headed for Trial in Missoula
The trial, which starts Monday, will rule on whether the district retaliated against the plaintiffs after they reported the sexual assault of wrestlers to the school district and police department.
Developer Proposes 97-slip Bigfork Bay Marina in ‘Jurisdictionally Complex’ Project
Kalispell Planning Commission Reviews Proposed 95-Home Affordable Housing Development Off Highway 93 Bypass
‘A Moment of Impact:’ Whitefish Nonprofit Turns to Clean Energy to Power Festival
More Montanans Cast Ballots in This Election Than Any Other Midterm Primary
Flathead Valley Spring Tourism is Strong Despite Economic Headwinds
OUTDOORS
Groups Say Flathead Logging Project Sidesteps Endangered Species Imperatives
A lawsuit challenging the West Reservoir Project accuses the federal agency of invoking emergency procedures instead of examining impacts of logging roads in grizzly bear and bull trout habitat
On the Road
As Warm May Temperatures Accelerate Snowmelt in Montana, the Flathead Basin Remains an Exception
TroutCast Delivers Drought Forecasts for Montana’s Blue-Ribbon Rivers
Desperately Contesting Corner Crossing
Grizzly Bear Injures Hiker in Glacier National Park
Sponsored Content
Sponsored by Flathead Rivers Alliance & American Rivers
Celebrating 50 Years of Wild and Scenic
The July 10th Flathead River Fest at Marantette Park celebrates the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Flathead Wild and Scenic River
Sponsored by Flathead Valley Community College
Wachholz College Center Open House Returns June 18 With Free Concert by 20 Grand
Annual event offers season preview, waived ticket fees, and outdoor performance by nine-piece funk band
Sponsored by Piton Wealth
Engineering a Retirement Plan: Q&A with Piton Advisors
Piton Wealth Advisors started leaning into the overlap between their work and engineering a couple of years ago
NEWSLETTERS
SPORTS
Building a Legacy for Lacrosse
As more kids grow up playing lacrosse in the Flathead Valley, the Northwest Avalanche Lacrosse’s boys and girls senior classes have cultivated a legacy of success
High School State Championships: Bigfork Baseball Wins First A/B Title; Whitefish Tennis Sweeps Team Titles
Flathead Valley Teams Prepare for Spring State Tournaments
Glacier and Flathead High Schools Eye Playoff Push in Inaugural Seasons
Kalispell Glacier Football Program Penalized for Recruiting
‘Roller Derby on Another Level’
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Glacier’s Awe-Inspiring Landscapes
The stories behind some of our favorite images of the park
Buttery Jam-Filled Cupcakes
A Decade of Eating Well Year-Round
Balsamic-Roasted Radishes
Ten Years of the Beacon’s Glacier National Park Posters
Can’t-Miss Events for Summer 2026
OPINION
More Than Just a Hotel Name
Why preserving Grouse Mountain Lodge matters to Whitefish
Shun the Shackles of Party Control
In a representative democracy it is not the purest party that wins elections
Our Water, Our Future
Why a grassroots "treasure hunt" is the key to protecting Flathead Lake
Share a letter or guest column with the Flathead Beacon.
Editor's Picks
Flathead Valley Spring Tourism is Strong Despite Economic Headwinds
Hotel occupancy and Glacier visitation are up, but travelers are being more selective, taking fewer trips and choosing road travel over flying
Methamphetamine Contamination Shutters Doors of Trego Elementary School
The contamination, found in the school’s library and in a school-owned property, has resulted in a need for remediation before students can return. The school’s roughly one dozen students completed their year in Eureka.
Glacier’s Awe-Inspiring Landscapes
The stories behind some of our favorite images of the park
Police Blotter
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Recent Podcasts
Project 7
A six-part series on notorious Flathead Valley militia leader David Burgert, who vanished into the wilderness after a shootout with sheriff's deputies in 2011
