Last Updated on January 4, 2023 by Maggie McKneely
Looking for an amazing kayak tour for your Montana vacation? Check out Sea Me Paddle!
Why I Booked a Kayak Tour
“I just don’t want to spend the whole time paddling around in circles!”
I had booked a kayak tour on what was recently voted “America’s cleanest lake” and one of the top places to visit in Montana. It’s rumored that there are days that you can see straight down through the crystal clear water to the very bottom of the lake. But my mom, the beach girl, who loves doing anything water-related, who was the main reason I had booked a kayak tour as part of our Montana trip, was concerned. What if we had come all the way out to Montana just for her to paddle in a circle?
Not that her concerns weren’t somewhat justified. Covering almost 200 square miles, Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River. It’s so large that it often creates its own weather, which we experienced as an unforecast wind gust blew through the bay during our kayak tour. It’s not exactly the kind of place you want to venture out on your own if you don’t know what to do with a kayak.
Look how clear and clean it is!
And I didn’t really want my mom, or my dad, paddling around in circles the whole time either. So how to take my parents, kayak-amateurs, on a kayak tour of massive Flathead Lake? The solution: with a guide, who could ensure that no one paddled in circles, got lost, drowned, carried off by eagles, or capsized by an unexpected tsunami, all while pointing out wildlife and historical facts we wouldn’t have known otherwise.
A guide named BJ, owner of Sea Me Paddle.
Flathead Lake
But why would anyone want to go kayaking on Flathead Lake anyway?
In the age of social media-fueled tourism, it’s odd that Flathead Lake is still relatively unheard of. Several years ago, an image went viral, first on Pinterest, and then all over the internet, showing a young woman floating on a lake so clear that you could see straight to the bottom, 370 feet away. That lake was the Flathead in northwestern Montana.
The image that went viral – look familiar?
Usually, a sharp increase of visitors follows these sorts of internet photo fads, but that didn’t happen to the Flathead Valley. Maybe that’s because of its proximity to Glacier National Park, which receives almost 3 million visitors every year. The towering sheer rock cliffs, turquoise blue glacial lakes, seemingly untouched vast wilderness make the large national park a captivating place – so much so that few tourists ever leave the park and make the short 45-minute drive south to Flathead Lake. It’s kind of like when you go to Target for one item, and leave 2 hours later with a basket full of all sorts of things you don’t need, but not the one thing on your list you went there for. Glacier does that – you enter the park and instantly forget that there’s anything else in Montana worth visiting, including Flathead Lake.
But sometimes, Mother Nature forces tourists to search for alternate means of entertainment. In 2017, nearly half of Glacier National Park was evacuated and closed due to a particularly devastating wildfire year. And now, almost halfway through August, it looks like summer will once again be cut short in the park, with several lightning-sparked blazes wreaking havoc along the Going-to-the-Sun Road. While forest fires are good for the environment, they are rather inconvenient for tourists!
Related: Another epic kayak adventure? Kayak Horsehoe Bend!
So despite being “America’s cleanest lake,” a paradise for every water-sports lover, and having 185 miles of naturally gorgeous shoreline, Flathead Lake is still mostly undiscovered, except during times when people can’t fully enjoy Glacier National Park. That makes it a great, off-the-beaten-track destination for anyone visiting Northwest Montana or nearby Missoula. Which, if you’ve spent any time on the blog, know that that’s exactly the kind of place my family likes.
Sea Me Paddle Kayak Tour
Back to BJ, who was not nearly as concerned with us knowing how to kayak as we were. After a 30-second crash course in how to maneuver the boat, he assured my mom with a “you’ll be just fine,” before guaranteeing that we’d all go home with a new Facebook profile and cover picture. To me, that didn’t sound reassuring. The mischievous twinkle in his eye made me think that that “profile picture” was going to be snapped after someone flipped their kayak and fell into the lake. What had I gotten us into?
Fortunately, my original misgivings about the kayak tour were quickly disproven. 10 minutes into our 2-hour paddle of the Somers Bay area of Flathead Lake, and still no one had gone around in a circle. Success!
BJ first led us under an osprey nest that he’d been monitoring all summer, and as we paddled by, one of the parents swooped overhead and the chicks popped out of the nest, ready for whatever treat Mom or Dad was bringing.
Our guide named every bird that flew overhead before we even saw them, including a bald eagle, mergansers, and coots.
Along with the role of naturalist, BJ also served as our own personal Flathead Lake historian. He told us all about the history behind the ghostly pier remains sticking out of the blue waters all over the bay. Once upon a time, they belonged to a spur railroad installed by the Somers Lumber Company in the early 1900s. The company eventually dismantled the rails but left the wooden columns to poke their heads out of the clear water for decades afterward.
One hour in, and still no paddling in circles. That unforecasted wind started picking up when it was time to paddle out into open water. The waves looked small, but our calm, leisurely paddle suddenly felt like a mini theme park water ride. Which can be pretty exciting when you’re not actually attached to a ride and are instead armed only with a piece of plastic a few feet long. But BJ gave us clear instructions and, with his guidance, everyone made it through the wood pilings and to the next cove without capsizing.
For BJ, Montana is a dream home. He had never been to the state, but when he decided to retire over a decade ago, he rolled the dice (figuratively) and pointed his finger at a random spot on the map. His finger picked the northwest corner of the Treasure State, so that’s where he went. Imagine how excited and relieved he was when he showed up and saw how beautiful the Flathead Valley is! Now he and his wife run the premier kayak tour and bike rental company in the Flathead area. That was a lucky gamble, indeed!
BJ, taking a selfie with his kayak proteges!
Pretty lucky for us, too, because it meant that we got to have an incredible kayak tour worth every penny. Because of the wind, we didn’t actually get to paddle out to all of the locations normally included in the tour, but BJ made up for it with his laid-back, entertaining personality and his knowledge and insight about the area. He also saved me a lot of stress by taking a ton of pictures, so that I didn’t have to worry about dropping my phone into the water! (Which is why, unlike my other posts, most of these pictures aren’t mine – Sea Me Paddle gets the photo credits!)
We did the 2-hour Somers Bay tour, which is perfect for families and beginners. But Sea Me Paddle also offers full-day tours to Wild Horse Island, sunset tours, and honeymoon tours with wine and cheese included. If you’re not a kayak newbie, you can also rent your equipment from them and brave the vast Flathead Lake on your own. And if you’re visiting Montana in the winter (you crazy person, you), you can even do a winter kayak tour of Somers Bay. Regardless of your experience or interests, you are guaranteed to have a great time no matter what.
And they really won’t let you paddle in circles.
Mom, now a kayak pro
Sea Me Paddle has five different locations, depending on which tour you pick. They have a great online reservation system, but you can also email or call them. They’re very responsive and will be more than happy to answer any questions you have!
*Sea Me Paddle offered me a discount for this post, but all opinions are my own.
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The image that went viral is really wow …
IM READY! Where’s the next kayaking trip! It was so much fun and BJ was the best kayaking teacher! I was ready to take on Flathead Lake as soon as my paddle hit the water- never going in one single circle or falling right in when the bigger waves started coming!
I’m ready to kayak everywhere…….thank you, Maggie for doing this for us! You are the best travel planner.
Looks like a great fun! I would also start with a 2 hours tour – but also the sunset tour must be amazing. Thanks for all the great advices!
Wow this looks incredible! I’ve never even heard of this place before either! I’m definitely adding this as a must-see spot for when I make my cross-country road trip in a few years. I have such great memories of paddling around on clear lakes like this in Wisconsin when I was growing up, and I’d love to find more great spots.
I remember seeing that photo and not knowing where it was taken!! What better was to explore the lake than by kayak, you really get to see it properly by getting on the water and doing it under your own steam!
I would just love to sit by that lake and enjoy its beauty than kayaking 🙂 Looks like you had great fun there. All the pics are so amazing. thanks for sharing.
I was aware of the picture, but never realised it was of Flathead lake. Its rather intriguing to read, that even after the vitality of the pic, the place in itself didn’t see a boost in tourism, which is rather strange.
Kayaking is fun, isn’t it? I did it only once, in Cyprus, but really enjoyed it. But you’re right, for such a big surface, it’s better to be guided by someone who knows the place well. What a beautiful lake, indeed! That crystal water is stunning!
We got caught up in those wildfires in Glacier last year and could not get in. We drove down through Montana to Boseman, but did not discover Flathead Lake. What a shame! No worries – we are about to embark on another roadtrip heading east across Canada and it looks like our intended dip into Glacier may be thwarted again – in which case, I think we may well be heading to Flathead. It looks idyllic.
We’ve been kayaking in Thailand and its really relaxing. So I can relate well to your experience here. Did you get tired at all?
The lake is crystal clear. I would love to do a kayak tour of this lake. It looks stunning.
I have never heard of this place!! I haven’t even seen this photo either!! I would love to go here!
This place is very beautiful as it looks very peaceful. The water is really very clear and sparkling. Will surely go for Kayak tour.
I have only been kayaking once and it wasn’t the most successful of adventures. Basically I ended up going round in circles for 15 minutes before I understood what I needed to do…! This certainly looks like a beautiful place to get in some practice though!
This sounds so cool! It looks like a beautiful place, And how good is it when you stop paddling in circles!
I’ve never heard of this lake! Montana needs to go on my travel list now. The kayaking sounds like such a good time and it’s always nice to have someone that is familiar with the area show you around. I can’t believe how clear the lake is and that it isn’t swarmed by tourists!
I have definitely seen the viral picture before, but had never heard of Flathead Lake before! My fellow travel bloggers are doing a great job of growing my ‘must travel to’ list, exponentially!
Thank you for all naming a tour I can take if I go there with my family. 🙂
That viral photo is incredible, it almost looks surreal! I had never heard about the lake in itself before though, kayaking there must have been dreamy. I would love to do it in such a clear water, adding it to my bucket list! 🙂
I love water! This looks so much fun. I only went kayaking once and it was super hard for me but I’m glad I experienced it.
Fun! Kayak tours are one of my favorite things to do while traveling – especially since I’m not too big on some more adrenaline-rushing adventure sports.
Seems like you had a great time although you didn’t get to see the crystal part of the lake like the picture went viral. Most of all, you didn’t go in a circle.
I have seen the picture so many times and have always wondered where the lake is! Thanks for an amazing trip report. I wish I had so adventurous mom as you have. I think that it is a great thing for parents-kids relationship to still keep on doing things together, even though the kids are already adult…
I don’t know that I’ve ever seen water that clear in person before! What a wonderful spot. I wish I could say that I’m a fan of kayaking, but I have NO upper body strength so I always struggle, haha. Better do something about that!
What a fun kayaking adventure. Great way to entertain your mom and have fun exploring the clear blue lake. Good idea to get a guide and it sounds like BJ was just the right guy. Like you, I’d be fearful my camera slip and fall. Thanks for writing about Flathead Lake, I’ve never heard of it before and it sounds like a wonderful place to visit.
really cool place! the water looks incredible!! I would be spooked out if I could see the fish through the water though! thanks for sharing!
Hehehehe I love your comparison with Glacier National Park and Target! If I am totally honest, I would be the same if I visited that park, i’d want to explore every trail…rather than drive to another area.
…and that means I would be likely to miss out because this looks really fun!
Although, the idea of winter kayaking at Flathead Lake sounds mad, no matter how pretty it is, I think that would be too cold.
Yay! Flathead Lake! I loved it and have camped there. Glacier Park is definitely more well known. Both amazing jewels of Montana in different ways. Great pictures. Thank you for sharing the trip in words, too!