Seeley Lake Chamber

1missionandswanvalleysarea.gifTRAVEL_MT2004-12-22T11:43:04302YVISITOR INFORMATIONhttp://www.seeleylakechamber.comSeeley Lake ChamberYLOCAL NEWSPAPERShttp://www.seeleyswanpathfinder.com/Seeley Lake PathfinderYVISITOR INFORMATIONhttp://glacier.visitmt.comGlacier Country10003060<DIV class="cityaspfont"><ul class= "fotocolumn"><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/SeeleyLake_MorellFalls.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=117 HEIGHT=187 ALIGN=BASELINE></center>Morell FallsPhoto courtesy: Seeley Lake Chamber</li><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/SeeleyLake_Lake.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=222 HEIGHT=140 ALIGN=BASELINE>Seeley Lake DistrictPhoto courtesy: Seeley Lake Chamber</li><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/SeeleyLake_Ranch Girls.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=222 HEIGHT=140 ALIGN=BASELINE>Ranch GirlsPhoto courtesy: Seeley Lake Chamber</li><li class="brewfoto"><center><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/SeeleyLake_Biathlon.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=117 HEIGHT=187 ALIGN=BASELINE></center>BiathlonPhoto courtesy: Seeley Lake Chamber</li></ul> Seeley Lake is flanked by the peaks of the Mission and Swan mountain ranges and is situated along one of the most scenic drives in Montana. Beginning at the charming village of <a href="/categories/City.asp?CityID=27">Bigfork</a> on the north and ending at Clearwater Junction on the south, this 91-mile stretch of road is commonly known as the Seeley-Swan Highway. Montana Highway 83 provides a scenic route between <a href="/national_parks/glacier/">Glacier</a> and <a href="/national_parks/yellowstone/">Yellowstone National Parks</a>. Those who love water and the great outdoors will discover excellent camping, boating, fishing, and hiking opportunities at <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=3079">Placid Lake State Park</a> and the <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=3083">Salmon Lake State Park</a>.Folks visiting Seeley Lake have many outdoor recreational opportunities from which to choose. During winter, a snowmobiler will discover more than 350 miles of groomed snowmobile trails in this area and guided snowmobile tours are available. Seeley Lake also boasts a world-class <a href = "/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=4086">Nordic ski trail</a> system.During spring, summer and autumn, folks can enjoy birding, wildlife viewing, fishing, camping, boating, hiking, backpacking, horseback riding or mountain bike along hundreds of miles of trails and roads. You can also canoe the <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=4091">Clearwater River Canoe Trail</a>. This easy 3.5-mile canoe route along the willow-lined river provides excellent opportunities to see many types of birds, including bald eagles.Prior to settlement by European Americans, the Seeley Lake area was populated by Native American people, primarily Salish and occasionally Blackfeet. The beginning of European settlement in this area was by Jasper B. and Elmer Seely in 1881, who had a contract to furnish ties for the Northern Pacific Railroad. The modern day spelling of Seeley Lake was due to a misspelling of Mr. Seely's name.Early homesteaders made their living from timber and fur. The first logging near Seeley Lake took place in 1892. In 1896 J.B. Seely was the first ranger at the Lewis and Clark Forest Reserve now the Seeley Lake District, part of <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=711">Lolo National Forest</a>. In 1896, the Forest Service offered the first timber sale at Seeley Lake. It was purchased by the Big Blackfoot Logging Company. World War II increased demand for lumber and another round of sawmill operations began. The demand for lumber continued after the war and so did the timber industry in Seeley Lake.The Forest Service began to put the logging roads to broader use by encouraging recreational activity in the area. In 1915 the Forest Service started leasing lots around Seeley Lake that were acquired by families from Missoula and other cities around Montana. The MacLean family was one of these. Reverend MacLean raised two sons, one of whom, Norman, later wrote about family and fishing the Blackfoot River in his novel A River Runs Through It. By 1926 there were 35 summer cottages on Seeley Lake. The semi-remote location of the Seeley Lake area combined with the abundance of fish, game and large tracts of undeveloped wild country encouraged the development of Seeley Lake as a resort community.Reminders of Seeley Lake's rich past are still evident in area homesteads, schoolhouses, camps, dude ranches, recreational facilities and logging operations. The historic and cultural resources of the Seeley Lake area contribute greatly to what makes this place special.<map name="nearbycities"><area shape="rect" alt="Ovando, Montana" coords="180,221,237,239" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=248"><area shape="rect" alt="Seeley Lake, Montana" coords="131,186,233,217" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=302"><area shape="rect" alt="St. Ignatius, Montana" coords="65,170,128,193" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=291"><area shape="rect" alt="Condon, Montana" coords="104,107,158,126" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=71"><area shape="rect" alt="Heart Butte, Montana" coords="204,15,243,45" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=161"><area shape="rect" alt="Ravalli, Montana" coords="23,185,63,200" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=270"><area shape="rect" alt="Ronan, Montana" coords="64,132,121,158" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=283"><area shape="rect" alt="Pablo, Montana" coords="63,118,95,131" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=249"><area shape="rect" alt="Dixon, Montana" coords="32,165,60,184" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=94"><area shape="rect" alt="Charlo, Montana" coords="31,127,60,141" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=58"><area shape="rect" alt="Polson, Montana" coords="15,100,63,125" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=260"><area shape="rect" alt="Big Arm, Montana" coords="10,83,50,97" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=23"><area shape="rect" alt="Elmo, Montana" coords="11,70,46303361SEELEY LAKEGLACIER146Double Arrow Lodge1435Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce1484Tamaracks Resort11390The Lodges on Seeley Lake12200River Point Campground12272Lake Alva Campground12327Big Larch Campground12379Big Nelson Campground12390Seeley Lake Campground12893Arrowhead Condos on Double Arrow Ranch12943Rich's Montana Guest Ranch13079Placid Lake State Park14086Seeley Creek Nordic Ski Trails14087Lake Dinah Trail14088Lodgepole Trail14089Falls-Canyon Trail14090Bear Creek Trail14091Clearwater River Canoe Trail14093Monture Hahn Trail14094Morrell Falls National Recreation Trail14096Hobnail Tom Trail14097Tobacco Valley Trail14098Lake Otatsy Trail14099Cabin Creek Trail #8014100Fenn Mountain Trail14102Canyon Lake Trail14103Spread Mountain Trail14105Center Ridge Trail14106Blackfoot Divide Trail14107Big Larch Nature Trail14115Nome Point Trail #37414119Coopers Lake Trail14123Dunham Creek Trail14125Art Jukkula Trail14126Limestone Pass Trail #40214127Conger Creek Trail14129Cooney Creek Trail14131Dwight Creek Trail14132Pyramid Pass Trail14133Lake Mountain Trail14135East Spread Mountain Trail14136Falls Point Trail14137Florence Lake Trail14138Center Creek Trail14140Conger Point Trail14141East Fork Trail14142Windy Pass Trail14143McCabe Creek Trail #140414144Canyon Point Trail192774th of July Celebration - Seeley Lake Style111470Seeley Lake Area Winterfest111897Seeley-Swan Scenic Drive113830Seeley Lake113960Lake Inez Campground113961Monture Campground114115Seeley Lake - Monture Snowmobile Trail114116McCabe - Northfork Blackfoot Snowmobile Trail114117East Morrell - Blind Canyon Snowmobile Trail114118West Morrell - Rice Ridge Loop Snowmobile Trail114120Auggie Cutoff Snowmobile Trail114122Richmond - Clearwater Loop Snowmobile Trail114128Slippery John Snowmobile Trail114129Double Arrow Lookout Snowmobile Trail114130Placid Creek - Jocko Snowmobile Trail114131Westside Bypass Snowmobile Trail114132Fawn Creek - Archibald Snowmobile Trail114133Archibald Loop Snowmobile Trail114135Fawn Creek - Placid Creek Hookup Snowmobile Trail114136Lake Marshall Loop Snowmobile Trail114137Lake Elsina Snowmobile Trail114139Sawyer Creek - Rice Ridge Snowmobile Trail114140Camp Creek - Rice Ridge Snowmobile Trail114141Cottonwood - Rich Ranch Snowmobile Trail114142Gold Creek Snowmobile Trail114143Holland Lake Snowmobile Trail114144Richmond - Marshall Hookup Snowmobile Trail115172Seeley Lake Historical Museum and Visitor Center115488Deer Country Quilts115540Seeley-Swan Vacations116736Seeley Chicken Coop & Lounge116974Montana Backcountry Yurts, LLC d/b/a Yurtski118206Lakeside Campground118645Eagle Port Lodge118751Seeley Lake Ranger District118859Lindey's Prime Steak House118880Good Times Gifts & Video119263Moose River Bar and Grill119874Rich Ranch Outfitting120509The Home Place Vacation Rental120540Seeley Lake Vacation Retreat120779The Cabin on Frontier Drive121577In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Festival122269Mountain View Lodging122406Chef Eduardo Garcia122672Seeley Basecamp122686Rich Ranch Snowmobile Adventures1MT59868