Polebridge, Montana

[Dolphinite no longer here]

A friend of mine and I drove up to Polebridge, Montana Thursday for an overnight campout and a little fly fishing on Friday. The road to Polebridge goes out of Columbia Falls, MT. and heads north along the Flathead River for about 40 miles, 28 of which are gravel so you won't make fast time getting there, but if you're patient, you'll make it. I drove my '85 Dolphin and my friend drove his truck. He tended to stay with me even though my speed stayed at 10 to 15 miles an hour for the gravel part.

Polebridge is a tiny community of a few dozen houses, general store and cafe/bar. The cafe/bar's last day of business for 2013 was yesterday, Friday the 13th. They'll open up sometime in the late Spring next year. The store has a little bit of everything and the best bakery in Montana. Great pastries! Another great thing about Polebridge is that there's no cell service there although a pay phone is available on the wall outside the store. About a mile further north from Polebridge is a bridge across the Flathead River and right into Glacier Park. The bridge used to be built out of poles and timber, hence the name "Polebridge" but it burned down years ago and has been replaced by a modern, concrete bridge.

We camped right across the road from the bar (about 50 feet!) in a little flat grassy area and had a very short walk for an ice cold beer and a good conversation.

Anyone planning a trip to Glacier National Park should plug in a day or two for a side trip to Polebridge.

Here's a few photos:

John

[MontanaChinook]

I loooove Polebridge. I think the old three-legged dog finally died? The place is overrun (in a good way) with dogs running free. Local dogs. Not ok for visitors dogs to be off-leash.

I really hope the rich people don't continue to buy up property around the town and turn it touristy and too expensive for the locals. But I'm sure it will go that way eventually...

This is a town that will have grizzly bears come out of the park and walk down main street.

I have friends who work for the Nature Conservancy, which owns the "Polebridge Palace", and really nice big solar powered cabin that was donated to them years ago, so I've been able to see that area a few times.

I'm jealous! I need to get the Chinook up there next year.