Essex

The Middle Fork of the Flathead River runs alongside State highway 2 through Essex, with railroad tracks cutting through a narrow, forested corridor at the edge of Glacier National Park. Originally a railroad town for the Great Northern Railway, the town’s identity remains tied to the tracks, with trains moving through a remote, narrow valley framed by steep, forested slopes.

The river reflects shifting light through the canyon, while nearby trailheads lead quickly into more rugged, less-traveled terrain. At Walton Ranger Station, a trail climbs toward Scalplock Lookout, and open viewpoints overlook the river below—offering layered elevation and strong visual contrast between water, forest and sky.

Historic elements add architectural texture. The former Izaak Walton Inn anchors the area with Tudor Revival design, rail-adjacent placement and surrounding cabins and cabooses. Nearby, Goat Lick Overlook provides seasonal wildlife presence, where mountain goats gather on exposed mineral slopes above the river.

Limited development keeps the corridor visually clean, with only a small number of structures along the highway. The result is a quiet, infrastructure-light environment defined by movement—trains, river flow and shifting weather.

Climate

Public Lands

• Bureau of Land Management, Missoula Field Office
• Flathead National Forest Supervisor’s Office
• Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (DNRC)
• Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Region 1 Headquarters

Accommodations

West Glacier and East Glacier Park offer accommodations (some seasonal) roughly 30 minutes west and east of Essex, including bed-and-breakfasts, hotels, motels, lodges, vacation homes and RV parks.