Our cabin itself, sits on Spoon Lake, with about 4 1/2 surrounding acres of privacy and just a few cabins on our side of the lake. The view from the cabin deck is all forest & lake, so you have the benefit of seeing wildlife from time to time. It has a spacious floor plan, with a large open 'Great Room', with a nice big stone fireplace & big comfy down couches facing it. The kitchen and dining on the main floor, open onto a large private deck facing the lake as well as a covered porch on the other side. There's a picnic table and barbeque on the deck that's great for summer meals outdoors.

We love the location. It's so peaceful and you feel so remote, yet we are still fairly close to the conveniences of town (about 7 miles away) and only about 15 minutes to the West Glacier entrance to Glacier National Park. A shortcut we use is the Blankenship Road, which intersects the North Fork Rd. 1/2 mile north and then east of us. The North Fork Road follows the North Fork River creating the western most boundary of Glacier National Park.

The spring and summer months are special at Spoon Lake when the Loons nest and raise their young before they leave for the winter. They have wonderful calls and are fun to watch from a canoe. We have a dock and leave our canoe there also for our guests to use to explore the lake and wildlife. Due to nesting sites for Loons, it is a motorless / 'wakefree lake' lake', so very peaceful.

There is access to the North Fork River both about a mile or so north of us on the North Fork Road, as well as where the Blankenship Rd. crosses the river about 2 to 3 miles from us. It forks just above the bridge at this point. There are small dirt roads on both sides of the river, where you can drive a car down near the water and walk, fish or explore from there.

If you follow the Blankenship Road east, it comes out on Hwy. 2. near the main entrance to Glacier National Park (West Glacier... about a 15 min. drive) and the various river rafting outfits, which are a lot of fun.

Horseback riding, trail rides are available across from lake Mc Donald Lodge and go through a beautiful lush forest and along Mc Donald Creek and falls. There is also, a 'drive through' bear experience in the West Glacier area, which we visited this last spring. You can view the bears roaming around up close in their controlled forest surroundings and from the safety of your car.

We are not golfers, but other guests have written in our guest book about all the 'great golf in the area'. The chair lifts and gondolas at Big Mountain in Whitefish, have operated during past summer months for sight-seeing and I believe there are bridle trails to the top also. If this is of interest, you should check the website to be sure they still are doing this.

Mountain biking has been available in the past as well. You could bring your own bike and buy a lift ticket if you want a lift to the summit, or you can rent equipment there. The Ranger Station in Hungry Horse, can provide you with information and maps to the numerous hiking trails and fishing lakes in and around Glacier Park and the North Fork area.

There is loads of great hiking in the area. Some favorites of ours on the West side of the park is the 'Avalanche Lake trail'. It is a good starter hike and not too long. About 5 miles round trip. Avalanche Lake is just beautiful with about 5 or more waterfalls (depending on the season) flowing into it from the surrounding peaks. The trail to the lake follows a deep, fast moving and very beautiful gorge. Our grandkids caught quite a few trout fishing along the gorge. the trail is hilly, but travels through a dense and mossy forest, so nice and cool besides beautiful.

Another local favorite hike is the 'Highline trail', which starts from Logan Pass and travels across the mountain on a fairly level trail and then across high mountain meadows with lots of mountain goats and big horn mountain sheep, wildflowers and lots of water running. Very pretty! The trail is about 11 miles from Logan Pass to 'the Loop' on the Going to the Sun Road. It might be a bit much for very young kids, but you could probably go as far as you are comfortable and just return to Logan Pass. Otherwise, if you were to continue on there is a mile that is a gradual climb to the Granite Park Chalet and a nice place to warm up if it is cold or to stop for a picnic on a picnic table outside. Then the last 4 miles are downhill back to 'the Loop'.

The park offers a shuttle service back to Logan Pass to pick up your car or you can take the shuttle from just inside the West Glacier entrance and not drive up there at all. I believe it's a free service as well to minimize cars on the 'Sun Road', so you can park at West Glacier & ride.

'Peigan Pass trail' is another nice hike and just down the east side of Logan Pass at about the 2nd loop in the road. beautiful view from the pass & another great place to picnic and watching mountain sheep/goats.