Lone Pine State Park

Lone Pine State Park is a day-use park on a forested ridge on the southwest edge of Kalispell, rising above Foys Lake and looking across the whole Flathead Valley. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks gives its size as 279 acres, ranging from 2,959 to 3,644 feet, with about 7.5 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and, in winter, snowshoeing. On a clear day the overlooks show Flathead Lake to the south, Big Mountain above Whitefish to the north, the Jewel Basin peaks to the east and the mountains of Glacier National Park beyond.

The park began with a gift. In 1941 Ernest and Hazel White donated the original 162 acres to the state on the condition that the land be developed for public use and used to teach people about conservation. That purpose still shapes the park: it runs regular adult workshops, children's activities and interpretive programs, and the visitor center has a gift shop open all year. Two acres of the park give public access to Foys Lake.

The trails are short and varied rather than long, linking the visitor center with the overlooks along the ridge and the forest slopes below; FWP publishes a trail map. It is a day-use park only, with no campground, so plan to stay in Kalispell or at the Flathead Lake state park units. Leashed dogs are allowed, which makes it one of the few good walks near Glacier where you can bring one.

The park is open all year from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The visitor center is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Sunday from 12:30 to 3 p.m., closed Mondays and Tuesdays and on November 26 and 27, December 24, 25 and 31, and January 1. FWP listed no 2026 closures, but posts any restrictions on its closures page.

Practical tip: come in the evening for the light over the valley and the lake, or on a winter weekday for snowshoeing within a few minutes of town. Montana residents who paid the parks fee with their vehicle registration enter free; nonresidents pay a small day-use fee.