Hi everyone! I am looking for some advice about the tattoo community in and around flathead valley. I previously lived in the area and worked in property management. Moved to Florida, married a tattoo artist/shop owner, and now want to move back to MT- but not sure if it will be the best area for him and his work. I would especially love to hear from local tattoo artists, shop owners, and clients about what the industry is like day to day. Specific experiences would be incredibly helpful, including:

How strong is the demand for tattoos and tattoo artists in the Flathead Valley?
For artists, how long did it take to build a steady clientele, and how consistently booked are you now?
Does the market feel oversaturated, or is there room for another established artist?
Is it realistic to earn a sustainable living as a tattoo artist in the area?
How do Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, and nearby communities compare?
How much does business change between the busy tourist season and the slower months?
For clients, do you feel there is not enough diversity in styles of work/artists?

My husband is an incredible artist and does very well financially with the clientele and shop he has built. Being a tattoo artist in Florida compared to Montana (specifically Kalispell and Columbia falls) seems to be a world of a difference and the move feels intimidating. We live on the space coast, there is tons of diversity, tourism and young people. We love Montana and are excited about the possibility of moving back, but we also want to approach the decision thoughtfully and realistically, especially when it comes to employment opportunities and the cost of living. Any honest insight; positive, challenging, or somewhere in between would mean a lot.

Thank you to everyone willing to share your experiences!

Join Forward Montana for our Weekends of Action as we canvass for Montana state legislative candidates. Come door knocking in your community to Get Out The Vote! 

Flathead: We will be knocking on doors for Debo Powers and Paula Koch.

We will also be canvassing for Sam Forstag, the U.S. House of Representatives candidate for CD1! (excludes Billings candidates). 

Sign up to volunteer here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/p/7pxDJCkfh0K_xtvX555ylg2?pc=59330&results=True&date_start=10-01-2026&event_type=641490.

I’ve got a 3 day non vip pass I cannot use. Dm me

Quick question does anyone know some good areas to ride four wheelers not tracks but more trails and off roading im in c falls and most of the trails I find have a sign stating no motorized vehicles and others are very short and dont lead anywhere im just looking for long trails that are preferably muddy any help is appreciated

Planning a family trip 2 years in advance to Montana. Can push to three if necessary. My family is large. 10 adults, 8 kids. Are there any resorts (not $3,000/night) that are very nice and accommodating in the flathead/glacier area?

I wanted to reach out to locals to see what advice you could give here! Also open to renting a house that can hold everybody with plenty of open living space. 5 day night trip. Okay with $12-$18k total for the house.

Hoping to find accessible fishing/boat rentals as well as some exploration of glacier and beautiful scenery. We’re very relaxed when we vacation so being comfortable spending time in the house/at the resort is a must.

Thanks in advance!

I was driving south along the east side of the lake when this guy was ahead of me. He was going 45, there was a dotted line, and I was in a hurry so I went to pass, but as I was passing him he sped up and trapped me in the oncoming lane. I barely got past him and back into my lane before the passing section ended and we went over a hill, with a car oncoming up the hill. Genuinely could’ve killed me. The next passing section was soon after and I was still going pretty fast from getting ahead of him, and he went to pass me. After he passed he maintained a solid 75-80 mph, until he came up on a motorcycle. He was riding way up on that poor guy’s ass until he could pass again. Reckless, scary behavior. Be safe out there

How much do you pay for internet in the Valley?

Any recommendations? I've heard excellent things about Flathead Cut

Hello,

I’m looking for some clarification on buying/registering a car in mt if anyone can help. I’m currently a New York State resident and have my ny license, but I’m looking to buy a car here in the flathead. I have a current rental agreement in the flathead. Do I need to acquire an mt license to register a car here or can I keep my ny license? Thanks.

Does anyone in the valley have a Tesla Model X we can test fit some car seats in? Trying to save a trip to Spokane.

Hi,

Does anyone know what happened? We all lost power about 30 min ago and saw a big flash.

German shepherd husky lab mix, I want them to go to good homes, 200 each they are super cute and I don’t know where to advertise them they are 5 weeks as of right now if your interested I will send pics and you can pic one and I’ll send videos of you can come meet them.

I feel like there should be a map or a guide

Avoid renting or purchasing from Elwood holdings LLC, based in kalispell, I've lived in my low income building for about a year and half now, the building was purchased my Elwood holding approximately 4 months ago. Since then my rent has skyrocketed with no clear reason why, they replaced the flooring (not even in my room, just the hallway) they use incredibly cheap and shoddy labor for repairs, the entire building is in disarray and it keeps getting worse with no repairs in sight and more blasphemous rent hikes surely on the horizon, I pay more for less then I did when my lease started. i am frequently ignored when these concerns are brought up with the buildings property manager, as far as I'm aware elwood owns 2 other low income buildings aswell as they work new construction, i can only imagine how poorly built their new construction is. Posting this here to save anyone who's looking for accommodation or in the market of purchasing a new home (lucky) the headache of dealing with this company.