Flathead Indian Reservation
Big Sky River Ranch lies within the boundaries of the Flathead Reservation.  The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are the aboriginal land managers of the Flathead Indian Reservation which makes up the lower quarter of the Flathead River Basin, encompassing 1.3 million acres. About a third of that area, some 459,000 acres, is forested. Most of these timbered acres are on the hills and mountains along the perimeter and central portions of the Reservation and represent the bulk of the Tribal land base. The Reservation contains a variety of land types that include Tribal, state, federal and private fee ownerships as well as six towns. Other features include the National Bison Range, Flathead Lake, Flathead River, Mission Mountain Wilderness Area and major state and federal transportation corridors. Tribal member residents number less than 4,000 persons.

The CSK Tribe is well know for it’s excellent land management policies with emphasis on conservation and resource protection including active acquisition of open space and wet land areas. These policies have created an oasis in a world of development. 

The large majority of land ownership within the valleys and developed areas of the reservation is held by non tribal members. The tribe has no direct influence; control or governing of privately owned land on the reservation.  Some of Montana’s most sought after properties are on this reservation, primarily on Flathead Lake.

Glacier National Park
Glacier preserves over 1,000,000 acres of forests, alpine meadows, and lakes. Its diverse habitats are home to over 70 species of mammals and over 260 species of birds. The spectacular glaciated landscape is a hiker’s paradise containing 700 miles of maintained trails that lead deep into one of the largest intact ecosystems in the lower 48 states. In 1932 Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Park, in Canada, were designated Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. This designation celebrates the longstanding peace and friendship between our two nations. Glacier and Waterton Lakes have both been designated as Biosphere Reserves and together were recognized, in 1995, as a World Heritage Site.

Flathead Lake
Tucked into the northwest corner of Montana, the Flathead Valley lies next to the rugged grandeur of Glacier National Park and the western edge of several million acres of designated wilderness. The centerpiece is Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. It is the one of the cleanest lakes of its size in the world. Located in the northwest corner of the state, 7 miles south of Kalispell, it is nearly 30 miles (44 km) long, 16 miles (25 km) wide, and covers 197 square miles (510 square km).

The lake is the remnant of Lake Missoula, which emptied itself in a long series of catastrophic outflows that created Washington's Grand Coulee and other natural features. The protection of the mountains and the moderation thermal effect of the lake produce a surprisingly mild climate for an area so far north. Recreation on and around the lake includes: sailing, power boating, waterskiing, swimming, fishing, picnicking, and camping.

Missoula Montana
Known as the "Garden City" for its dense trees and lush green landscape, Missoula is nestled in the heart of the northern Rockies in Western Montana. A community of approximately 85,000 residents, Missoula lies in a mountain forest setting where five valleys converge.

Missoula started as a settlement called Hell Gate when C. P. Higgins and Francis Worden began a trading post to accommodate travelers. The settlement was later renamed Missoula, taken from a Salish Indian word meaning "near the cold, chilling waters."

Missoula serves as a center for education, medicine, retail and the arts. Located at the base of Mount Sentinel and on the banks of the Clark Fork River is The University of Montana. The 200-acre campus is one of the most beautiful in the nation and is home to 12,000 students. Missoula is home to the International Wildlife Festival and the International Choral Festival

Missoula offers a variety of recreation opportunities. Four major rivers run through the area: the famous Blackfoot River to the northeast, the beautiful Bitterroot River to the south, the pristine Flathead River to the north and the Clark Fork of the Columbia River, which flows through the city. Fly fishers, rafters, kayakers and canoers thrive on the waters of western Montana.

University of Montana
The University of Montana was founded in 1893.  Students receive a high-quality, well-rounded education and training for professional careers in the University’s three colleges – arts and sciences, forestry and conservation, and technology – and six schools – journalism, law, business, education, pharmacy and the fine arts.

The university offers the non-student numerous outlets for arts, culture and entertainment including Big Sky Conference AA athletics.

“Most scenic campus in America”
–Rolling Stone magazine

“Among the top 10 colleges nationally for combining academic quality and outdoor recreation”
–Outside Magazine