Flathead Lake Boat Tours

If you’re visiting Flathead Lake and want to see more than just the sandbars and rocky shoreline, there are several options for guided boat tours. These companies can give you an up-close look at the pristine wilderness that surrounds Flathead Lake and the Mission Mountains.

The Flathead Lake Charters was established in Woods Bay, Montana in 1979 by owner/guide Jeff Rach. He fished the sandy bars, rocky shoreline and deep trenches of scenic Flathead Lake in northwest Montana for over 40 years, learning the migrating and feeding patterns of lake trout and lake whitefish. When he retired in 2021, long time friend and guide Todd Noble purchased the outfit, continuing to carry on the tradition of a Montana fishing experience like no other.

Flathead Lake Charters provides a variety of boating and fishing experiences on the world’s largest natural freshwater lake in northwest Montana. Located just south of Glacier National Park and in the shadow of the Mission and Swan Mountains, the lake is an area of breathtaking beauty with stunning landscapes and shoreline architecture including the historical “Painted Rocks”, Wild Horse Island State Park, Cromwell Island and Cedar Island. During the summer they offer both scenic lake cruises (morning or afternoon) and dinner cruises that leave from Lakeside Marina.

This company’s main focus is to provide guests with a fun and safe experience on Flathead Lake. They offer everything from a basic lake tour to a trip to Wild Horse Island, as well as private charters for groups. They have several different types of boats, ranging from 24′ bow riders to a 52′ luxury yacht. Their experienced staff is always ready to assist in planning your Flathead Lake adventure.

The sunset dinner cruises on the Far West are a great way to enjoy the beautiful views of Flathead Lake in northwest Montana. They feature live music and appetizers from Somers Bay Cafe on the upper deck and a no-host bar on the lower. This cruise is a fundraiser for the North Shore Conservancy Project and is hosted by Montana singer/songwriter David Walburn.

Wild Horse Island State Park is a beautiful and remote wilderness area on Flathead Lake. The island is home to mule deer, bighorn sheep, waterfowl, songbirds, bald eagles and osprey. It is also home to Indian pictographs and other evidence of the indigenous peoples who once lived there. This is a boat tour that will take you out to the island and then around some of the other islands on Flathead Lake.

This is a very popular excursion for visitors to the Glacier Park area. It is easy to get to from the Historic Lake McDonald Lodge. You can walk right out of the hotel and down a set of stairs to board the Desmet, which was built in 1930 for the Lake McDonald transportation service. This is a two-hour cruise that will give you epic mountain views and help you learn more about the park from the guides on the boat. Flathead Lake Boat Tours