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Hey western Montana folks

eca7891

eca7891

Keeper of useless knowledge
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 7, 2019
2,270
2,753
So the search begins on where to start the new homestead. We will be heading to the Kalispell, Montana area this summer and are looking for some recommendations on campgrounds. We will be spending a month in the area so we see if it’s a good fit for us.
It doesn’t have to be anything fancy but it would be a huge plus if it had internet. My wife can work remote so a connection via wi-fi would save some vacation time.

Thanks for any suggestions!
 
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18.00 a nice isn’t exactly expensive...
 
Boondocking it is a possibility as well.
 
Of all the RV Parks, I would stay here:

Home | Urban Nomad Adventures

www.spruceparkrv.com www.spruceparkrv.com

It gets you out of town a ways. It is still rustic RV camping. The front row by the river is very nice. They close off the front row during the winter because the water hookups freeze. The park is open late into the fall, maybe all winter long for a few places.

The new part of Kalispell is on the north side of the old town going towards Whitefish. From this park you can get over to Glacier Park easily but you will be away from the summer crowds going to Glacier... During a busy summer there are 3 -4 million visitors to Glacier.

Propane fill up's are not too far away. this park has a small laundromat.

You are not coming to Montana for the amenities...

Hobo
 
That is the best part of Western Montana if you want to hang out with a bunch of refugees and tourists. Well, maybe Bozeman is better.
 
Here's my #2 pick.... When the fires were chocking out Western Montana a few years ago, I left the Bitterroot and drove East until I found clean air...
I met great travelers and had one of the largest campsites in the West... No Internet. Had to go to Glasgow, MT library to get on the Internet... Nice small town. You could take a month and amble from Kalispell over to Fort Peck.... Follow along the route that Lewis and Clark took.... Swing through Great Falls and go through the Lewis and Clark Museum... Bring your fly fishing gear...

www.recreation.gov

Downstream (MT), Fort Peck Project - Recreation.gov

Explore Downstream (MT) in Fort Peck Project, Montana with Recreation.gov. Downstream Campground is located just below Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River in northeastern Montana. Recreation enthusiasts and sportsmen enjoy the beauty
www.recreation.gov www.recreation.gov
 
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I think he is from Minnesota. Should be OK. I still think being up near Kalispell in that whole area is a mistake, but it ain't my life.
 
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Choid said:
I think he is from Minnesota. Should be OK. I still think being up near Kalispell in that whole area is a mistake, but it ain't my life.
Click to expand...

Well, it is warmer than Minnesota.


I wouldn't live there either. Too much traffic everywhere. They do have good snowmobiling, but only because all the tourists and summer home people are gone for the winter.
 
Even though Montana is cool and your a member of the Hide. North Dakota is so much better. South Dakota is a close second. Bring about 500K cash if you want to buy a home now around Kalispell and be ready to throw it down on some house that’s worth around 250K. 250k gets you a single wide on about an 1.5 acres. I am being serious. Every one who wanted to escape is moving up here. Towns still nice but it’s changing. Homes are getting priced out of what locals can afford. I build and remodel and am currently booked about 1.5 years out. Probably a bit more than that. It’s crazy.
 
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BTW. Most campgrounds are already full. (Serious) I boondock my camper when we go out a lot. Maybe try some KOAs but lots of public campgrounds are already booked out through the summer. BTW. What is WiFi at campgrounds? You get cell reception up and down the valley. But get out of the main valley and good luck on WiFi let alone cell reception. There is a VRBO type deal for campers. Maybe try that. Some of them may offer WiFi but I have never seen Wifi at the Forest Service campgrounds or state parks.

Spruce Park in evergreen is nice. Not a ton of privacy but the river is there. They may have some more amenities. Never been to it but floated by it probably 100 times and drive by it a lot.
 
He has not!

Realtor is taking photos of our house today and we are heading your way for a 3 week visit.

Basecamp will be the Kalispell area this time. That will put us within striking distance for the entire area we are looking to buy. Helena, Kalispell/Whitefish all the way into Northern Idaho.

We are a bit concerned we may not get enough on our house to make the move possible.

If it is meant to be then God will provide a path.
 
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Hold on lemme give you every Montana/Wyoming residents answer Ive ever seen on the Hide in regards to someone moving to
"Their State"... Not enough room here you should try----... We got enough California tourist blue liberal people trying to come in and change our way of life... Keep your Liberal Hybrid and just stay where you are... Its too cold and the winters are too harsh you should try---... Hope your bringing tons of cash and have a really good job lined up cause there aren't any here... Im sure I missed some but its a lot of welcoming with open arms up there :rolleyes:
 
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eca7891 said:
Those who count are welcoming us.

😂
Click to expand...
True. I will pray for you.... God had to work 4 miracles to place me in Montana... 1) Timing on property, 2) Financing, 3) Political climate (All bets were on Hillary when my offer was accepted), 4) A damn mortgage broker that made my CASH deposit sit in the bank for 28 days before the loan could move forward. My shit was loaded in the trailer and I was headed to MT when I got the final loan approval.... Your deal could take just as many miracles.
 
BoltRunner said:
Hold on lemme give you every Montana/Wyoming residents answer Ive ever seen on the Hide in regards to someone moving to
"Their State"... Not enough room here you should try----... We got enough California tourist blue liberal people trying to come in and change our way of life... Keep your Liberal Hybrid and just stay where you are... Its too cold and the winters are too harsh you should try---... Hope your bringing tons of cash and have a really good job lined up cause there aren't any here... Im sure I missed some but its a lot of welcoming with open arms up there :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Good summary. All applicants take heed. "Seats taken."
 
eca7891 said:
Update:

Seems Bigfork is currently in the lead for the area we like the most.
Click to expand...
Like other areas... It's got it's pluses and minuses. Winter / snow is something to consider. Here is an interesting one.

missoula.craigslist.org

80 acres for sale - farm & garden - by owner - sale

80 acres of farm land with pivot on Baptiste road 1/2 mile N of Ronan and next to the NE corner of Ronan Golf course. Great for home developments.
missoula.craigslist.org
 
Hobo Hilton said:
Like other areas... It's got it's pluses and minuses. Winter / snow is something to consider. Here is an interesting one.

missoula.craigslist.org

80 acres for sale - farm & garden - by owner - sale

80 acres of farm land with pivot on Baptiste road 1/2 mile N of Ronan and next to the NE corner of Ronan Golf course. Great for home developments.
missoula.craigslist.org
Click to expand...
Winter in Bigfork isn't actually that awful compared to much of Montana. I'd worry more about tourist season.

You definitely don't want to be in Ronan, where that link is. It is on the res, which is problematic, and in one of the few left wing counties in MT. The idea of moving to an Indian reservation seems to defeat all your reasons for moving here. On the plus side, I found primers in Ronan not long ago, and they have a great seed store. They used to have a great gun store, but it closed a year or two ago.
 
NW MT is great in the summer, can be dreary in the winter. Driving on the rez (especially at night) can be an exciting experience and requires having your head on a swivel.
 
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eca7891 said:
Not trying to sound judgmental or anything but..,,

BIG NO on anything reservation related for land or housing.

It is just not worth it to me.
Click to expand...
I have some dear friends who were hay farmers on that very reservation back in the '70s. White couple. Midwesterners, even. There was a dispute between the res and the state over whether the state would continue to stock the rivers with trout. The state wanted to stop because the quality of the fishing was perceived to be worse when the fish were not as smart to the fishermen. The res folks wanted them too because they would catch tons of fish and eat that way. When the state decided no, the res shut off the water to all non-member farmers, meaning all not Indians. Just about everybody lost their land.

Now, I think by now I've pissed off enough people on here by not being willing to stereotype groups, but when it comes to the native governments, not the native people, you are talking about some of the most vicious political operators out there. I wouldn't touch that land with pmclaine's dick.
 
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eca7891 said:
Eureka area is beautiful.
Click to expand...

It actually has a relatively mild microclimate for winter too. I know some people up there. You'd hate them. I can barely stand them. Pot smoking hippie types.
 
Well zero luck so far.

Either the listing description ( 3br was actually 2br with a family room and a closet) was inaccurate or the overwhelming stench in the house made it a no go.

The one house we could have bid on we didn’t get a chance because the agent(s) dragged their feet.

I have become highly confident we will not be able to afford this area.

on a brighter note I got to your defiance machine. Impressive operation that they have. Their action are the best I have yet to see, hands down. They are worthy of a post dedicated just to that.

E
 
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eca7891 said:
Well zero luck so far.

Either the listing description ( 3br was actually 2br with a family room and a closet) was inaccurate or the overwhelming stench in the house made it a no go.

The one house we could have bid on we didn’t get a chance because the agent(s) dragged their feet.

I have become highly confident we will not be able to afford this area.

on a brighter note I got to your defiance machine. Impressive operation that they have. Their action are the best I have yet to see, hands down. They are worthy of a post dedicated just to that.

E
Click to expand...
Thanks for the update......... If you have time run down to Darby, MT....... There will be some trade off's from the area you are in now. Next choice is to look around the Appalachian Mountain areas. Personal preferences.

22 week waiting period for a Defiance.
 
When I was at defiance they told me 38 weeks. They are running 7 days a week. Every time we drive by there are cars parked there. Talk about a goldmine.
 
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Update:

The good news.

We got a fantastic offer on our home. As in no contingencies and big down payment.

The bad news.

We have not found a place around here. There was an awesome one that came on the market. It was at the extreme top of our range. It has 2 offers so we didn’t even bother going to see it. 😒😒😒
 
The news is good......
You will nave to ask yourself (and your family) what sacrifices they are willing to make in order to reside in "that area"....

There are folks here who are 1) Staying with friends or relatives, 2) Living in their RV's, 3) Camping in the National Forest, 4) People living in Denver, Salt Lake City, Reno, etc are renting Montana Airbnb's, driving up and spending a few days at a time.... All looking for a permanent residence here.

Strictly speculation on my part - - - - October, November and December will bring some more desirable properties with seller's more willing to negotiate. Every week, the old timer's die off or the kids move them to assisted living. I have met their adult children at the Estate Sales. Those heirs have homes, careers, families in other area's and have no desire to return to Montana. The people camping out here are at those sales and are negotiating with the heirs... while the body is still warm. I see it first hand. I talk to the heirs and buy the things the old folks left behind. Some places have everything left but the guns and family albums.... The heirs only want the $$$.........

Here is a lead, if you are truly that committed:

Home

Home
swansonsestatesales.com swansonsestatesales.com

Many people write "Swanson's Estate Sales" into their will so he can come in and sell / auction everything off.... You can contact Mike and ask him for leads on Estates that he will clean out so the heirs can sell the property. There are other's who do entire Estate Sales in different areas.

Best of Luck
 
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Which areas are you currently looking?
 
Seems everything we like is south side of Kalispell. There was a nice one in Columbia falls though but it had multiple offers already before could even book a viewing.
 
Bigfork, lakeside, kila.

I prefer Bigfork or Kila.
 
I’m pretty sure I just told the people wanting to buy our house to fuck off if they can’t give us a day or two to get things in line.

Seemed inconsiderate being it’s Sunday and and everything is closed.
🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
 
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BoltRunner said:
Hold on lemme give you every Montana/Wyoming residents answer Ive ever seen on the Hide in regards to someone moving to
"Their State"... Not enough room here you should try----... We got enough California tourist blue liberal people trying to come in and change our way of life... Keep your Liberal Hybrid and just stay where you are... Its too cold and the winters are too harsh you should try---... Hope your bringing tons of cash and have a really good job lined up cause there aren't any here... Im sure I missed some but its a lot of welcoming with open arms up there :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Try living through this influx dipshit then run the mouth.
 
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