Marion, Montana - Discovering Montana

Marion is a census-designated place and unincorporated community located in North-western Montana’s Flathead County.

It sits just off Highway 2 in the near vicinity of Little Bitterroot Lake, and the community originally developed due to the area’s use by railroad construction workers extending the line into Kalispell, which is just 20 miles or so from here as is Great Falls.

When a businessman named Lewis Kelsey decided to relocate his sawmill to Marion from Somers not long after the turn of the 20^th century, timber became an integral component of the local economy and the community began to expand.

This small and quaint town has a population these days not much more than 1,000, and is probably most well-known for the nearby Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge area functions as a wild and diverse habitat for various species including birds, deer, elk, moose, black bears, and lynx.

Needless to say, outdoor recreation opportunities are plentiful in the region, and weather-wise the area is less temperate than some others in the state.

If you’re looking for the warmest time to visit Marion, the summer months are July, August, and then June with the busiest months tourism-wise being July, then August, and then May.

To get to Marion, follow Highway 2 from either direction along the highway and Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell is just 30 miles away from the town.