Boulder Creek Lodge
Boulder Creek Lodge – Hall, Montana
8
JULY, 2022
I stumbled upon the Boulder Creek Lodge when looking for a place to stay the night after we finished our 2022 Glacier National Park hike. On the TripAdvisor map view, every hotel room in Montana was priced at $250-$300. Too rich for me, but I needed a place to stay. I dug deeper and moused over an obscure place in Hall, Montana, priced at $125. On top of that, it had 100% 5-star reviews! I had discovered the Boulder Creek Lodge. It seemed too good to be true. Having stayed a night, the reviews are spot on.
Back Story – a Lifelong Dream Fulfilled
Patrick and Jennifer Fox own the Lodge, which is the fulfillment of their life-long dream. I think the back story is best explained in their own words: “Boulder Creek Lodge fulfills our search for the opportunity to meld our love and passion for the hospitality industry, meeting new people, making new friends, and having it located in one of the most beautiful and picturesque areas in the country. It is our place to create a dream.” Boulder Creek Lodge is a special and unique place that will leave a lasting impression, whether your stay is one night (like mine) or many. If you are looking for lodging in southwest Montana, you would be doing yourself a favor to spend the night there.
“We stayed in the Wagon! What an experience! The hosts were the absolute BEST, they were so welcoming and accommodating! I HIGHLY recommend staying here! The entire place was so clean! The food at the restaurant was soo delicious. This place is a must! We will be back!” – Google Review
First Impressions
Boulder Creek Lodge isn’t a ‘lodge’ in the sense of Glacier’s iconic Lake McDonald Lodge or Many Glacier Lodge. It is more like a ‘glamping’ (glamourous camping) experience on steroids. For example, the guest rooms don’t have running water, bathrooms, toilets, or showers. You have to go to separate bathroom/shower buildings for those. But if you can get past that minor inconvenience, the rooms (10 individual cabins, actually) are large, very comfortable, and immaculately clean. In fact, from my experience, everything at Boulder Creek Lodge is spotlessly clean and well-maintained.
Location of Boulder Creek Lodge
Boulder Creek Lodge address lists Hall, Montana as the location, but it is located about 6 miles south of Hall just off famous Montana Highway 1 and about 10 miles south of the I-90 Drummond exit. Further south on Montana 1 is Philipsburg, a must-see old silver mining town. We had dinner at the Philipsburg Brewing Company during our stay – it was excellent.
Lodging Options at Boulder Creek Lodge
One of the unique aspects of Boulder Creek Lodge is the variety of options you have for a stay there. The main options are ten separate cabins that vary in size from ‘The Loft’ with three queen size beds, to the Bunkhouse with four bunk beds, to the unique A-frame Chapel (where I stayed) with a single queen size bed and floor-to-ceiling stained glass window. Seven other cabins have various sleeping options, but most have a single queen bed combined with other beds (futons, bunk beds, sleeping loft, etc.).
Most of the cabins are priced at $110 per night (really!), with the Loft running $ 135 per night and the Chapel at $120 per night. For those seeking a truly unique experience, there are also two fully-furnished tipis and a Conestoga Wagon! (You can’t make this stuff up). There is also an RV park on the property with numerous size and hookup options. Check out the Boulder Creek Lodge website for all the details.
The Chapel
I chose to stay in The Chapel because it looked like a unique room to stay in (it was), plus it was available! During our early July stay, only two cabins were available for the night – The Chapel and The Loft. I had just finished a backpacking trip in Glacier National Park with Carl, Justin, and Travis, and when I told them where I was staying the night before we flew out, they decided to stay at Boulder Creek Lodge as well. They ended up staying in The Loft, which was perfect for them with its three queen beds.
The Chapel was… well, just like staying in a small chapel! It was one large room with big vertical windows lining the two side walls and a huge stained-glass window on the northern wall. The Chapel sits at the top of a small hill, the highest spot on the entire property. There is a nice deck with two rocking chairs. My stay in the Chapel was comfortable and genuinely one of the more unique lodging experiences I have ever had.
The Main Lodge Building
The main Lodge building sits at the front of the property, and it’s the first thing you’ll see. It is where you check in. There is also a small store, gift shop, and dining room. But the highlight of the building for us was the porch that spans the whole front of the building. We spent most of our stay in the chairs on the porch, watching the afternoon thunderstorms rolling through. They also serve breakfast and dinner (primarily burgers and pizza, though a kid’s menu is available), which is nice since it requires a bit of a drive to get anywhere else for meals. They sell a variety of beer and wine, which can be consumed on the porch. The lower level in the back is a nicely equipped game room and one of the bathroom/shower houses.
Conclusion – Boulder Creek Lodge
The Boulder Creek was purely an accidental find, but I’m sure glad I stumbled upon it. It is one of those places that has a magical feeling to it. Their website lists five reasons to stay at Boulder Creek Lodge – number 1 is “To Make Memories.” Patrick and Jennifer have certainly created a destination that you won’t soon forget. In addition to a touch of magic, the Boulder Creek Lodge is inexpensive, clean, and comfortable. I highly recommend the Boulder Creek Lodge for any overnight stay in that area of southwest Montana.
