Print it. Bag it. Bring it.Phones die, screens crack, and most of this water has no signal. Print this map, fold it into a zip-top bag or dry bag with your license, and you have a backup your electronics can’t give you. Every marker is numbered so you can say exactly where you are.
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polson / Flathead Lake KOA Holiday Private · Polson | Campsite | 47.69943, -114.18752 | |
| 2 | Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam Energy Keepers, Inc. · lake outlet | Dam / hazard | 47.67756, -114.23416 | The dam at the lake's outlet into the Flathead River. |
| 3 | Walstead Park West shore | Park / conservation area | 47.81138, -114.26540 | |
| 4 | Big Arm Unit — Flathead Lake State Park Montana FWP · camping and boat access | Park / conservation area | 47.80869, -114.31265 | Ramp and campground share the site in OpenStreetMap; shown as one point. |
| 5 | Lakeside Community Park Lakeside · town park | Park / conservation area | 48.01970, -114.22328 | OpenStreetMap also carries a “Volunteer Park” 60 m away; treated as the same green. |
| 6 | Flathead Lake State Park — West Shore Unit Montana FWP | Park / conservation area | 47.94939, -114.18845 | |
| 7 | Flathead Waterfowl Production Area US Fish & Wildlife Service · north shore | Park / conservation area | 48.08079, -114.15040 | |
| 8 | Bigfork Ranger Station Flathead National Forest | Agency / conservation office | 48.06619, -114.08324 | |
| 9 | Flathead Lake State Park — Wayfarers Unit Montana FWP · camping and boat access | Park / conservation area | 48.05440, -114.08206 | Unit and campground are mapped separately; shown as one point. |
| 10 | Osborn Landing Bigfork | Access / boat ramp | 48.06153, -114.07203 | The one public boat landing on this lake that OpenStreetMap actually maps as an access. |
| 11 | Sliter Memorial Park Bigfork · town park | Park / conservation area | 48.05862, -114.07280 | |
| 12 | Big Fork Dam Bigfork · Swan River | Dam / hazard | 48.05910, -114.07108 | On the Swan just above its mouth at the lake's north-east corner. |
| 13 | Beardance Picnic Area East shore | Park / conservation area | 47.95637, -114.03441 | |
| 14 | Flathead Picnic Area East shore | Park / conservation area | 47.94106, -114.02789 | |
| 15 | Flathead Lake State Park — Yellow Bay Unit Montana FWP · east shore | Park / conservation area | 47.87578, -114.02836 | |
| 16 | Finley Point Unit — Flathead Lake State Park Montana FWP · camping and boat access | Park / conservation area | 47.75454, -114.08265 | |
| 17 | Mission Bay Preserve South-east shore | Park / conservation area | 47.69521, -114.11283 | |
| 18 | Boettcher Park Polson · town park | Park / conservation area | 47.69791, -114.13317 | |
| 19 | Ducharme Park Polson · town park | Park / conservation area | 47.69357, -114.15416 | |
| 20 | Salish Point Park Polson · town park | Park / conservation area | 47.69670, -114.16039 | |
| 21 | USGS 12371550 — Flathead Lake at Polson USGS gauging station | USGS gauge | 47.69691, -114.16130 | |
| 22 | Sacajawea Park Polson · town park | Park / conservation area | 47.69579, -114.16350 | |
| 23 | Riverside Park Polson · at the outlet | Park / conservation area | 47.69337, -114.16609 |
Gauge: USGS 12371550 — Flathead Lake at Polson MT. Live flow on the web page.
Species: Bull Trout, Lake Trout, Lake Whitefish, Northern Pike, Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Yellow Perch
Regulations: fwp.mt.gov/fish/regulations
Emergency: call 911 and give the number of the nearest point on this map plus its coordinates.
Polson and the south shore: ramps and services, within the Flathead Reservation.
Wayfarers, Yellow Bay and Finley Point state parks: ramps and camping on the east shore.
Somers and Lakeside: north and west shore access.
Big Arm and Elmo: western shore state park access.
The Flathead River delta at the north end is shallower, weedier water.
Kalispell and Polson have full services and guides.
Note: the southern half is within the Flathead Reservation. Tribal permits apply.
Winter: lake trout and perch, with limited ice in the sheltered bays.
Spring: lake trout accessible in shallower water and perch in the bays.
Summer: deep lake trout, whitefish, and the clearest water of the year.
Fall: the drawdown, feeding lake trout and very few boats.