Life on the Island: Bighorn sheep a cool sight on Wild Horse Island

Among all of the places to visit on Flathead Lake, Wild Horse Island State Park offers some of the most diverse wildlife of any part of the lake and remains mostly untrammeled, despite a few well kept vacation homes.

Less than two miles from shore at its closest point, paddling to the island is modest, but the water can turn choppy, as the area is known for uncommon wind shifts that can result in some serious situations for boaters and paddlers alike. It is best to check weather conditions before embarking as mornings can blow different winds than evenings based on storms and winds pushed through the surrounding mountains.

Once on the island, looping and splitting trails link up the different landing areas that lead to historic landmarks and viewpoints overlooking Flathead Lake and the Swan Mountains to the east. A fee is required for all non state visitors since it is a state park.

Visiting the north shore of Wild Horse at Skeeko Bay and Eagle Cove may be nice on a hot day, with ample shade in the cove, while a further paddle from Walstad Park, the closest public parking with a boat launch. One should be mindful of the waves coming back through the straight between Wild Horse and Cromwell Island when traveling this way. None of the other surrounding islands are open to the public, and there is no camping on Wild Horse.

Although bighorn sheep population numbers have gone down in recent years, they still remain on the island with disputed numbers, along with resident horses and mule deer. At the time of my most recent visit, only the rams showed themselves.

The wildlife on the island can often be hidden, and should always be treated with caution and respect. To find them we had to traverse one of the higher mountains as they are known to remain up in the cliffs.

Wildlife and flora are similar to the forests in the surrounding area, and can see different species of birds that migrate along the western lake shore, including geese, raptors and woodpeckers.

Kayak rentals are available in Polson, Kalispell and Somers.

The paddle out, on a calm day, takes about an hour from Big Arm State Park.