Empowering the Tribes through Responsible Stewardship and Accessible Recreation.
Our mission is to protect the cherished recreational resources vital for the sustenance, cultural enrichment, and economic diversity of the Tribes. We achieve this by actively maintaining and monitoring tribal recreation resources, encompassing wilderness and primitive areas, developed recreation sites, and the pristine Flathead River corridor, through judicious management activities.
Program Manager: Todd Espinoza
Office: (406) 675-2700 ext. 7289
Email: todd.espinoza@cskt.org
Work Project Coordinator: Joe Santos
Office: (406) 675-2700 ext. 7290
Email: Joe.Santos@cskt.org
Lead Recreation Technician: Garrett Fenton
Office: (406) 675-2700 ext. 7290
Recreation Technician: Kyler Clinkenbeard
Office: (406) 675-2700 ext. 7290
Our Work
We are committed to expanding recreational opportunities by implementing innovative development projects guided by land use management plans and mitigation strategies. In addition, we actively foster a culture of conservation through our visitor education outreach programs and mass media initiatives, promoting responsible outdoor recreation practices.
Furthermore, we take pride in administering comprehensive management plans and coordinating activities that influence the quality of recreational experiences, as well as the timing and distribution of use. Through our collective efforts, we endeavor to ensure that these invaluable resources remain both protected and accessible for generations to come.
Pack it in, Pack it out
This common saying is a simple yet effective way to get visitors to take their trash home with them. There is no reason why people cannot carry out of the backcountry the extra food and packaging materials that they carried in with them in the first place. Trash and litter at recreational areas ranks high as a problem in the minds of many visitors. Trash and litter are human impacts that can greatly detract from the naturalness of an area. Trash receptacles are not provided in backcountry areas as they can become an attractant for wildlife.
Off-Road Motorized Vehicle Use, Motorcycles, ATVs, and Snowmobiles:
Operating motorized vehicles off of authorized roadways is prohibited. For this purpose an authorized roadway is defined as a route specifically built as authorized by the Tribes for the purpose of motor vehicle use.
Mission Mountain Tribal Wilderness:
The Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness is located on the western slopes of the Mission Range. The area covers approximately 91,778 acres1. It is roughly 34 miles long and five miles wide. Elevations range from four thousand to nearly ten thousand feet. The Wilderness area has its own unique regulations that can be found in the “Flathead Indian Reservation annual Regulations”
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I contact your department?
During regular business hours, you can reach us by phone at (406) 675-2700 or by emailing at todd.espinoza@cskt.org
How to get to various trail heads on the Reservation?
There are maps for sale in our office in Polson (406 6th Ave. E., Polson, MT 59860). Various trail hiking apps will show you where trail heads are, however there are issues with land status information provided by those maps. You may wind up on a tribal members private land instead of tribal recreational land, or follow trails that doesn’t actually exist!
Do I need a Conservation License to recreate within the Flathead Reservation on Tribal lands?
Yes you do, your permits can be bought online at https://ols.fwp.mt.gov/ or call (406) 675-2700 ext 7231 for info and locations to purchase them.
Do I need a Conservation License to boat on the flathead Reservation side of Flathead Lake?
No you do not, but if you are fishing it is required to have your tribal fishing license. Which can be purchased online at https://ols.fwp.mt.gov/ or call (406) 675-2700 ext 7231 for information and locations to purchase them.
Do my kids under the age of 12 need a Conservation, Fishing or Camping License to recreate, fish or camp on tribal property within the Flathead Reservation?
No, anyone under the age of 12 is not required to have a license on the flathead Reservation.
Who is eligible to recreate on the Flathead Indian Reservation?
The Flathead Reservation is available to members and non-members in most areas.