Come to the heart of the famous Montana sweet cherry orchards, where blossoms color the hillsides during the spring. Located on the east shore of Flathead Lake you can camp, swim, boat, fish and bird watch.
About the Park
Yellow Bay at Flathead Lake State Park is in the heart of the famous Montana sweet cherry orchards.
In the summer, cherries can be purchased at nearby roadside stands or U-Pick orchards.
The park includes Yellow Bay Creek and a wide, gravelly beach. Among its attractions are boating, lake trout fishing, water skiing, bird watching, swimming, camping, and scuba diving.
There are 5 tent campsites that are first-come, first-serve only.
A tribal fishing license is required at this park.
Park size: 15 acres. Elevation: 2,907 feet.
Activities
Bird Watching
Boating
Canoeing
Fishing
Kayaking
Lake Fishing
Photography
Picnicking
Swimming
Tent Camping
Water Skiing
Wildlife Viewing
Amenities
Some amenities are seasonal. Check with the park for availability.
ADA Accessible
Boat Launch
Grills/Fire Rings
Parking
Pets Allowed
Picnic Shelter
Public Restroom
Toilets (Flush)
Toilets (Vault)
Trash Removal
Water
Seasons & Hours
Park
Open all year
Campground
Open (Tent camping only; first come, first served)
Water
Available mid-May through Labor Day
Flush Toilets
Open mid-May through Labor Day
Dock
Normally, available mid-March through November, weather permitting. For status please visit our Facebook page or call Flathead Lake State Park Ranger Station, 406-837-3041
Contact the park manager for open volunteer positions at Flathead Lake State Park.
For complete position descriptions, application forms, and details about Montana State Parks volunteer programs, visit the Volunteers page.
Fees
Montana Residents
Montana residents who pay the $9 state parks fee with their annual vehicle registration have no daily entrance fees to state parks. For residents who don't include this in their vehicle registration, non-resident day use fees apply.
Nonresidents
Day use entrance fee with a vehicle: $8
Day use entrance fee as a walk-in, bicycle or bus passenger: $4
With a Nonresident Entrance Pass: Free
Campsites
Campsite fees range from $4-$34 per night, depending on season and available amenities.
Food Storage Rules: Store all attractants, day or night, in a closed, hard sided container or vehicle when not in immediate use. Tent campers without a vehicle may use available food lockers. Do not burn waste in fire ring or leave litter around camp-site. Dispose of garbage in bear-resistant dumpsters provided.
Contact Information
Mailing Address:
Yellow Bay / Flathead Lake State Park
Flathead Lake Ranger Station
8600 MT Hwy 35
Bigfork, MT 59911
AIS can be easily spread from one waterbody to the other. Anglers, boaters, construction workers, pond owners, gardeners, seaplane pilots, field workers - virtually anyone who works or plays in or around water can unknowingly transport these pests on their boats and equipment. It takes only one mistake to potentially infest a new water body.
Amy Grout began her career in Montana State Parks in 2004 as an intern at Lone Pine State Park, later becoming the Northwest District Park Ranger. She has a B.A. in Parks and Protected Area Management from Colorado State University at Fort Collins. Speaking about her love of the outdoors, Amy said, “Most of my childhood was spent outside of Anchorage, Alaska and so that is the one place I consider my hometown and where my love for the outdoors really began."
