Nestled between tall evergreens and situated against the Swan Mountain Range of the Northern Rockies, sits this lovely craftsman style “Retreat Center.” This unique Arts and Crafts style structure accommodates families or couples on destination vacations, family reunions, unique experiences, and/or 4 day retreats.
We invite people to retreat from their every day lives into the wilderness and forested sanctuary we have created at the foot of the Swan Mountain Range. We encourage our guests to unplug from their urban lives so that they might reconnect with their best selves, their loved ones and their source of inspiration. Our natural sanctuary is ideal for reflection and introspection and to reset intentions for answering your soul’s calling. We're especially interested in providing a peaceful and inspirational space for those pursuing creative projects and a desire to connect with the natural world and to one another.
This Retreat Center provides three spacious private bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, an entry foyer, and a very large great room. Originally built as a yoga room, the great room boasts wood floors, a stone fireplace, and beautiful craftsman style windows with huge views of alpine glowing mountains. Guests will also enjoy a fully equipped gourmet kitchen. Two full bathrooms include showers and a two person size sunken tub in the master bath. There is a laundry room with a sink, counter, washer and dryer attached to the smallest bedroom. From the great room and master bedroom, there is access to a large covered patio to enjoy outside dining with incredible panoramic views of the mountains. Beyond the porch is a large lawn and pathway to our waterfall studded pond. Wireless Internet service (the fastest in our area via a dedicated transmitter tower) and online streamed Netflix movies are also available to guests on two large flat screened television sets (1 in master bedroom and 1 in great room).
On the same property, a few steps away, there is an additional guest house we call the Treehouse (see VRBO listing #470944) that accommodates up to 2 adults and 2 children.
Directly behind the property, guests will find immediate access to mountain trails they may access with a State Land day use permit. And just a minutes drive away there is access to rafting put-ins along the Swan River. Guests are also invited to share the beautiful surrounding grounds, a lovely waterfall studded pond, tree swings, hammocks, and mountain bike trails. Our eleven year old son is a wonderful little host and loves to show visiting children all the cool things this property has to offer, especially hunting for Morels in May. To avoid any conflict with our guardian and companion dogs, and to avoid predation by wildlife, we do not allow dogs or other pets onto our property.
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Amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Gym
Outdoor space
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Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock
About the area
Bigfork
Located in Bigfork, this holiday home is in a rural area and near a water park. Flathead Lake and Wayfarers State Park reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Eva Gates Homemade Preserves and Kehoe's Agate Shop. Enjoy the area's slopes with cross-country skiing and snowboarding, and don't miss out on the snowmobiling and sledging.
Eva Gates Homemade Preserves - 16 min drive - 12.5 km
Bigfork Summer Playhouse - 17 min drive - 12.9 km
Getting around
Kalispell, MT (FCA-Glacier Park Intl.) - 39 min drive
Restaurants
Echo Lake Cafe - 9 min drive
A Bar - 5 min drive
Flathead Lake Brewing Company - 14 min drive
The Eatery At Bigfork - 14 min drive
Split Rock Restaurant - 14 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Elegant Wild Swan Retreat Center pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Elegant Wild Swan Retreat Center?
As of 4 Apr 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Elegant Wild Swan Retreat Center on 3 July 2026 start from AU$450, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Elegant Wild Swan Retreat Center?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Elegant Wild Swan Retreat Center?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Elegant Wild Swan Retreat Center?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Elegant Wild Swan Retreat Center located?
Located in the mountains, this family-friendly holiday home is within 9 mi (15 km) of Flathead National Forest, Eva Gates Homemade Preserves and Flathead Lake. Wayfarers State Park and Echo Lake are also within 9 miles (15 km).
Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
We had a wonderful stay at Swan Lake Retreat Center near Bigfork, MT. The home is beautiful and tucked away in a peaceful wooded setting, yet still just a short drive to Flathead Lake, Glacier National Park, Whitefish, and other great attractions. Our family of six had plenty of space and loved the quiet surroundings after busy days exploring. Highly recommend this property for anyone looking for a relaxing Montana getaway.
We loved the great room. We played games and watched movies. The cabin is well stocked. We saw deer most every day. The cabin is pretty secluded, and it was quiet. We floated the river pretty much every day. the master bedroom is nice and big. Bigfork was a great place for getting groceries, Etc. I would stay here again. The hosts were always quick to respond.
Had stayed at the swan lake treehouse the summer before and decided to bring the family to Bigfork this summer so we needed a bigger place. The Retreat Center was the perfect size and had everything that we needed for our stay. We will be back for sure.
Julie S.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 9 Sept 2021
We were so happy to host you a second time and look forward to your return either at our Wild Swan Retreat Treehouse or The Wild Swan Retreat Center. Thanks for choosing our property for your vacation!
The property is beautiful! House was so comforting and in beautiful shape. We had a few visitors, two deer, four turkeys and plenty of squirrels to keep you fascinated.
Sitting on the back patio was so quiet all we heard was nature. We will be visiting again.
Highly recommend staying here.
This house was just perfect for what we needed. Our 3 adult children (one with his small children) and my husband and I stayed while in the Swan Lake area for a wedding. There was room for all, including a wonderful outside patio area for bbqs and relaxing and large family room. Also had every item needed for the littles, which was so helpful (pack and play, crib, toys, books,etc). We enjoyed our stay very much
Our family had a great time staying at the Wild Swan Retreat. It was a great base for our exploring around the entire area and was a restful place to return each evening. The rooms and main living space were very spacious and we enjoyed using the back porch. When we encountered a hornets nest in the grill, the owners promptly bought a replaced the grill the same day! And they repeatedly checked in to make sure we were comfortable and not disrupted by it. Owners were great communicators and were very flexible to accommodate our requests. We’re thankful to have found it!
We loved our time at the Wild Swan Retreat. The house is beautiful and spacious and was stocked with everything we needed for our month-long stay. The peaceful, secluded location of the house is conducive to frequent wildlife sightings (we saw deer, foxes and wild turkeys). Despite being situated off the beaten path, the WSR is just a few minutes away from Bigfork and Flathead Lake by car and is also within easy driving distance of other area attractions such as Glacier National Park. Our host was gracious and responsive, and we highly recommend that anyone planning a visit to northwest Montana consider making the Wild Swan Retreat their base of operations.
Max and Mary Johnson
Stay was enjoyable. The yard around house needs to be maintained better. There should be fans in each bedroom. It did get quite warm in front bedroom at night. Beds were very comfortable and large living room very nice. Kitchen was stocked well, although food was left in fridge by previous guests and no way to know how old it was. Did enjoy stay. Owners responded quickly to any issues or questions
If you’re looking for a place to get some peace, tranquility, nature, & comfort, this is it. There were 4 of us adults enjoying the spaciousness & the “turkeys putting on a show each night by flying into a tree to roost “. In fact, we would make sure we were there to watch them each night. The location was perfect. Easy access to the main highways. I would recommend “The Retreat” to others. The only suggestion that I would make is to update the outdoor photos on the website. Thanks for making our stay enjoyable!
Ruthanne P.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 9 Sept 2021
We’re so pleased you enjoyed our property and the evening wildlife shows! I try to capture what the property looks like at different times of the year in the posted photos. Spring and early summer look the best in terms of new growth and flowers 💐 but it changes all the time as it’s a live forest that surrounds us. We do our best to not let it take over but help is scarce these days.
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Verified traveller
18 Sept 2018
The home is a HOME...
There were 5 of us staying in the home an we had plenty of room to be together or to have our own space.
The home was nestled in the trees so every window was like a view from a tree house. At night we felt like we were miles from everyone. It was such a vacation from our crazy, crowded, noisy life in California.
One of my favorite things was the water dispenser in the refrigerator. We all fill up water bottles so having the cold water right from the fridge was such s treat. No plastic water bottles needed here.
I hope one day we will come back an stay longer.
This gorgeous property is in a quiet, wooded area 12-13 minutes away from Bigfork. The amenities are perfect and you can find peaceful areas around the house and property to get away and read or just enjoy the scenery. Like Lisa, our host, mentioned it is a bit confusing to find the house but after a couple trips it’s a breeze.
The main picture listed is a bit different than the actual property because it is grown up with wild grass and shrubs, at least when we stayed in June. I loved it but my husband likes the mowed down look.
When we arrived I sat on the back porch and noticed a few mosquitoes (I ‘m a magnet for them) and Lisa brought down a system to put beside the house and I saw no more our entire stay!
This place is stunning, clean and peaceful…just what you want when visiting Montana!
Amy B.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 12 Aug 2024
Thank you! I’m so happy you enjoyed your stay! We had some problems securing a reliable gardener this year and our mower broke down just before your stay. Usually it’s more manicured but like you I prefer the wild look. 😄 Hope you come back again! It was a pleasure to host you!
This property was AMAZING!! It was nice to spend the day in Glacier NP (45 min away) and come back in the evening to retreat into the wilderness!! The space is HUGE and can accomodate quite a few people! The kitchen is fully stocked with everything you need to cook complete meals! The beds are very comfortable and the space fit our family of 6 with ample room! The back porch was an amazing retreat at night to have a drink or in the mornings to have coffee! Lisa was VERY quick to respond and great to work with!! while there is no air conditioning, we didn't notice at all! The windows stayed open all day/night and the shade of the trees kept the house cool enough! The sprinkler system did come on at 0400 and we only noticed since the windows were open. We will DEFINITLY be back again and highly recommend this to anyone looking!!
Justin C.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Verified
6/10 Okay
Janice H.
10 July 2023
Liked: Check-in, location
Disliked: Communication
Cameras watching us
We use VRBO frequently and this property did not meet our expectations. There were cameras on us in the front of the house and looking on to the back porch, and property hostess would text us to turn out lights, shut doors....eerie and unnerving. We felt spied on. There were spider webs throughout the house and she sent a friend to clean instead of her cleaning service. The vacuum attachments were missing so the house was not cleaned properly. There were lights that needed bulb replacement and although it was brought to her attention, nothing was done. Lastly, we paid a considerable cleaning fee but were rewuired to drive 8 miles to drop off our trash or we woild have been charged $25 per trash can. Not a good experience.
Janice H.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 11 July 2023
Motion Sensor Blink cameras are a standard security measure hosts take to ensure the security of guests and their belongings. There was no spying, just a 5 second recording of movement, in case of a security issue that needs attention. The cameras also alert us to movement when we don't have guests and are a necessary security measure for us in our remote area.
Since there was a concern about spiders, I thought it a good idea for the door not to be left open for an extended time. Many critters in our woods, large and small, find an open door an invitation. A text reminder seemed prudent.
As for the lights - when guests do not turn off lights when leaving or turning in for the night, the bulbs burn out and need replacing so we ask our guests to turn off lights when not needed - this conserves energy, bulbs and minimizes light pollution in our natural forest environment. From our home and when driving by we noticed outdoor porch lights left on in the middle of the night and during the day when no one was there, so texted a reminder. I didn't receive a communication about bulbs needing replacement and I regret that they burned out during this stay. We try to identify and replace all bulbs between guests. Also, the communication I received about spider webs was that they were in a corner of our front bathroom (near a window), not throughout the house. My housekeeping service assured me that they had been and are thorough in their clearing of webs but spiders can find their way in and are active in the Springtime.
When I was contacted about spider webs, my housekeeper was not available immediately, so my spouse and co-owner of the property (not friend) promptly came to clean out the webs that had developed in the days since the full cleaning service (they come with their own vacuum equipped with all attachments). My spouse noted that there were minimal webs to be removed but cleaned the area fully.
Our cleaning fee is a standard amount for a 2800 sq foot 3 bed 2 bath house in our area. Unfortunately, trash collection service isn't available in our remote area. That's an inconvenient reality, so we have to ask our guests to do as we do and take their trash to a container site on their way out, or pay our housekeeping service to do so. This is specified in our listing and rental agreement upon booking.
It's unfortunate these issues ruined this guest's experience. Please consider our many other guest reviews.
Our stay was awesome! Beautiful, relaxing, peaceful.
Everything we expected and more. Owner was responsive and super helpful, would recommend this place to anyone. Beautiful views, amazing accommodations, and super peaceful.
Trevor W.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2022
Verified
6/10 Okay
Linda D.
1 Sept 2021
Liked: Location
Montana View
The outside did not look at all like the pictures with overgrown foliage and grass. This made walking in the grounds risky for unseen rocks hidden under overgrown grass and weeds for elderly people. Our stay was interrupted by propane gas delivery and a visit from the owner to turn off outside lights. For the amount of money spent I think things could have been managed better. The turkeys were fun to watch. The owner graciously loaned us a slow cooker which was very kind. Its a beautiful property in a beautiful place.
Linda D.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 9 Sept 2021
Thanks for your kind words. As for the pictures representing the state of the grass and vegetation, I tried to capture what the property looks like at various times of the year, in each season. In the Spring and early summer it’s new growth and very tidy but by late summer it gets a little wild as it grows faster than we can keep up. We hate to disturb guests with mowing so it was mowed on the day of your check out. Apologies for the propane delivery. We’d hate for it to run out on you!
About the host
Hosted by Lisa Gilbert
Originally from Southern California, we purchased this property to create a quiet self sufficient and sustainable life for our small family. We love to share our special sanctuary with other like minded people and to collaborate with other Montana businesses that offer unique and special experiences. We have worked very hard to have and keep a Conditional Use Permit from the County to be able to share our property with people looking to peacefully retreat in this special place.
Why they chose this property
This property is incredibly special and uniquely showcases the majestic qualities of each season. We love the variety of wildlife traversing the land, including deer, elk, moose, foxes, bobcat, raccoon, squirrels, bald eagles, ducks, geese, hawks, cranes, herons, owls and many other birds, most notably the wild swan. White Tail Deer tend to be the most common but are the most lovely and peaceful sighting. Occasionally, bear, wolf, and mountain lion are seen but our big guardian dogs keep these larger predators off our property. This property is not appropriate for parties or large groups of people.
What makes this property unique
A cascading waterfall, reflective pond, large rock scape gardens, surrounding forest, and the back drop of the Swan Mountain Range offers a sacred space for family or organizational gatherings. The gorgeous mountain range, surrounding forest, cascading waterfall, reflective pond and large rock scape gardens provide magical photographic opportunities, especially during sunset when the sun casts an amazing panoramic alpine glow.
This enchanted venue accommodates a variety of events; from family reunions, and small workshops, to a simple romantic get-away or a family vacation destination.
We fell in love with this beautiful private property, the wilderness setting, and its unique craftsman style structures, and you will too!
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests