22 miles end to end. Easy.
Updated October 15, 2026
Rails to Trails ride is 22 miles end to end from the town of Somers on the north shore of Flathead Lake, west to Kila, bordering the Smith Lake Waterfowl Production Area. Much of the trail is built on former Great Northern Railroad beds, making it perfect for biking.
Parking & Start Areas: If you start in Kila or Somers, you will be starting where the trail ends. If you start in Kalispell, you will be starting in the middle of the trail, and you will choose which way you want to ride.
Starting in Somers - Just put Del’s Bar in your Google Maps and you will find lots of parking in this area. From there, you will cross the street to the path and start your ride.
Starting in Kila - Park along Kila Road, across from where it intersects Smith Lake Road or further north on Kila Road at a small pull-out area.
Starting in Kalispell - Just put Kalispell Mall in Google Maps. You will park on the backside of the mall, where the parking lot meets 5th Ave NW. Once you are parked, proceed to the bike path located across the street from 5th Avenue. You will ride on that bike path until it hits a T in the path. There you will take a left, and the path will go under HWY 93 and meet up with the Great Northern Trail. From there, you will choose if you want to ride north to Kila or south to Somers.
The Ride - This paved trail through the heart of the Flathead Valley offers views of Swan, Mission, Salish, and Whitefish mountain ranges. The tiny town of Somers at the trail’s southern end is located on the north shore of Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. The town is the site of the former tie plant for the Great Northern Railroad, and the trail passes a diminutive community museum with a vintage steam locomotive situated outside. There’s a bike repair station close by. Stop at Somers Bay Café seven days a week for breakfast or lunch.
The trail travels north from Somers, paralleling the highway, then turns left and meanders through pastoral scenery southwest of Kalispell, the largest community in the Flathead Valley. Watch for the turnoff west to Kila, which will take you under the bridge and through a rural landscape to the Smith Lake Waterfowl Production Area. There’s a bike repair station at the end of the trail also. The trail passes directly behind the Kila Pub, which opens in late afternoon (check seasonal hours).
You can get more information here and download a map: https://crownofthecontinent.net/