Columbia Falls provides prime access to outdoor attractions
Rooted in a northwestern Montana valley, Columbia Falls is an area that places residents at nature’s doorstep. This area offers access to outdoor recreation year-round, from Glacier National Park to the north and Flathead River to the south. Columbia Falls’ residential streets come with views of the region’s mountains and a quiet atmosphere. At the same time, Nucleus Avenue provides proximity to grocery stores, restaurants and other businesses at the heart of the community. “Probably the biggest draw is Glacier National Park. We get like 3 million something visitors every year,” says Alden Blaize, a local Realtor with Real Broker, who has about six years of experience. “We’re the closest town to Glacier National Park.”
Under the sun or in the snow, recreation options abound
Columbia Falls is known colloquially as the gateway to Glacier National Park — the park’s Apgar Visitor Center is about a 19-mile trip. The 1-million-acre expanse has more than 700 miles of trails, over 700 lakes, 13 frontcountry campgrounds and a 50-mile stretch called Going-to-the-Sun Road, known for its scenic drives. “The hiking is incredible,” Blaize says. Water sports are popular, too, and at 6,800 acres, Lake McDonald is the park’s largest body of water. It’s a draw for activities including kayaking, fishing and swimming. The lake is also known for its collection of colorful pebbles by the shore, an effect caused by their iron content. Glacier National Park has several trails open to cross-country skiing in the winter. Whitefish Mountain Resort, 16 miles from Columbia Falls, is another hot spot for skiing and snowboarding, with 111 named trails.
The Flathead River flows through Columbia Falls and attracts anglers for trout fishing. Flathead National Forest, located across the river, features 2.4 million more acres of land to explore, including a couple thousand miles of trails. Locals looking to stay a little closer to home can hit spots like Pinewood Park, which has a playground and a community pool open from June to August.
Columbia Falls offers condos, manufactured homes and acreage
Many of Columbia Falls’ homes are concentrated at the center of the community, a mix of bungalows and gable-front houses primarily constructed across the early to mid-20th century. These houses are set closely together on an urban-style grid system of blocks, and they sell for $320,000 to $580,000. Columbia Falls’ outskirts offers a more rural atmosphere, featuring an eclectic selection of homes, many from the 1970s onward, on larger lots. Prices range from $350,000 to $1.4 million based on age, square footage and acreage. Subdivisions like Talbott Pines and Cedar Pointe Estates on the south side of Columbia Falls include New Traditional houses built within the last several years for $700,000 to $1.2 million. “There's been a lot of development recently,” Blaize says. “Once you get outside of town, you have the opportunity to get more acreage, 1 acre or more. But there still is good infrastructure for older houses as well. It’s a good mix.” Columbia Falls also has some condos and townhouses priced from $240,000 to $640,000 and manufactured homes for $300,000 to $650,000.
Heritage Days has many summertime activities
Heritage Days is a signature event in Columbia Falls in July. The three-day affair dates back to 1956 and includes a car show, a community market, live music and a rodeo. “It’s a pretty cool thing,” Blaize says. “The locals come out for it.” There’s also a weekly farmers market off Ninth Street, the Columbia Falls Community Market, held on Thursday evenings from May to September.
Nucleus Avenue is a center of commerce
Downtown Columbia Falls stretches along Nucleus Avenue. A sign proclaiming that “Adventure Lives Here” welcomes drivers. The avenue is lined with fixtures like Gunsight Saloon, whose Wild West-style decor includes wood paneling and stained-glass chandeliers. Uptown Hearth has popular breakfast sandwiches, and Backslope Brewing on nearby Ninth Street offers more than a dozen beers on tap. The Smith’s on Nucleus Avenue is an option for a range of grocery needs, while Sundrop Health Foods specializes in organic items. A visit to Bad Rock Books comes with the opportunity to pet the store cats while perusing the shelves of used titles. Lary’s Fly and Supply features a robust selection of gear for tackling the waters around Columbia Falls.
Columbia Falls elementary schools have active parent organizations
The Columbia Falls Public Schools system has a B-minus grade on Niche. Students in the area may go to the C-plus-rated Ruder Elementary or the C-minus-rated Glacier Gateway Elementary for kindergarten through fifth grade. Both schools have active parent-teacher organizations that support school fundraisers and other activities. Columbia Falls Junior High carries a B grade and offers its own football, basketball and volleyball teams. The B-minus-rated Columbia Falls High School has a Career and Technical Education Department with a building trades program.
Montana Highway 40 and U.S. Route 2 connect drivers to key points
Columbia Falls’ Ninth Street flows into U.S. Route 2 and Montana Highway 40. Drivers in Columbia Falls can follow Highway 40 toward the town of Whitefish, 10 miles away. Whitefish offers more restaurants and shops and is home to Logan Health-Whitefish, which includes an emergency room. Glacier Park International Airport, 8 miles away on Route 2, has daily flights to destinations like Seattle, Denver, Salt Lake City and Minneapolis.
Written By
Wayne Epps Jr.
