Environmental Education Center - Whitefish

The Environmental Nature Center is located in the lower level of the Summit House at Whitefish Mountain Resort. Staffed by U.S. Forest Service personnel, the center offers a fun place for families to explore with plenty of hands-on discovery. There are daily wildflower, nature discovery walks, a Junior Forest Ranger Program for kids ages 7-12, Adventure Packs filled with field guides and materials for fun outdoor activities, wildlife and wildflower displays and more.

The views of Glacier National Park and the Flathead Valley are stunning from the summit, and naturalists on staff can help visitors identify which peaks are which.

The nature center also is the launch pad for adventure, with daily wildflower and "nature discovery" hikes during July and August. The walks are free, and leave at 11:00am and again at 3:00pm.

To get there, hike right on up at no cost, and make it a free day. Or catch a lift for a small fee. Cost ranges from $5 to $10, and people under 6 years old and over 70 ride free.