The main attraction in Whitefish, for skiing in winter and hiking and mountain biking in summer, is “The Fish,” a.k.a. Despite its proud industrial history, the blue-collar base has long since been eclipsed by tourism, and the city now calls itself the “Recreational Capital of Montana,” with alpine lakes, fishing streams, hiking trails, great skiing, and endless mountain scenery right on its doorstep. 7,870) was originally known as Stumptown because of the intensive logging operations centered here. WhitefishĪ major division point on the historic Great Northern Railway, whose tracks are still in use by Amtrak and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Whitefish (pop. It’s popular for details and rental availability, contact (877/444-6777). Forest Service fire lookout (around $35) atop Webb Mountain, about 24 mi (39 km) southwest of Eureka. 1,118), a sleepy little place with a pair of gas stations, a couple of cafés, and Tobacco Valley Historical Village (406/297-7654, summer only), a fascinating collection of pioneer buildings, preserved and moved to a small park along US-93 at the south end of town.įor a truly unusual experience, spend the night in the former U.S. The first sizable town, 13 mi (22 km) south of the border, is Eureka (pop.

Besides providing natural habitat for herds of moose, elk, bison, and bighorn sheep, not to mention mountain lions, wolves, and grizzly bears, the thick groves of cedars, pines, and firs support the Northwest’s other endangered species-the logger-whose angular clear-cuts and monocrop tree plantations are also apparent as you pass through the region. Like British Columbia, Montana’s northwest corner, where BC Hwy-93 ends and US-93 begins, is an isolated land of dense forests, broad rivers, and glaciated valleys.

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