While rolling along Montana's U.S. Route 93 and Route 83 through the Flathead Valley, travelers are certain to find scenes such as this Big Sky view. The majestic Western Rocky Mountains provide a contrasting, deep blue backdrop for this Montana farmland. The valley area is known for its scenic beauty, fertile soils and surprisingly a relatively moderate climate. Flathead Lake, which seldom freezes over, has a moderating effect on the region's harsh winters.
   Today's Flathead area farmland is shrinking, being converted into residential subdivisions and vacation homes. Visitors seeing Montana's beauty, fall in love with Montana's scenery and end up purchasing property to build their dream homes. The Flathead Valley has changed dramatically over the past four decades. The once crystal clear Flathead Lake, one of the purist in the world, has seen a steady decline. Pollutants enter the lake from various sources, including golf courses, parking lots, construction sites and croplands. Non-native fish, mysis shrimp, zebra mussels, and warmer temperatures have also contributed to the lake's decline. The Flathead Basin Commission is making attempts to solve the lake's problems, but still, Flathead Lake remains among the cleanest of the world's largest lakes, fed with pristine waters from Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and Glacier National Park.

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