History of Flathead Lake’s Trestles

The history of Flathead Lake sailing is surprisingly intertwined with the history of logging in the region. The location of wooden trestles, or elevated train tracks that extended into the lake to facilitate the transportation of logs, led to some of the Flathead Valley’s first districts which are now hubs for sailing. Here is a look at the history of Flathead Lake trestles:

Trestles for Logging

Some of the first non-native settlers in the Flathead area came intending to harvest timber. At the time, the land was covered with dense forests of Douglas fir, larch, and pine, and the lake and its rivers were advantageous for transporting the heavy logs. Initially, the lumber was used locally for fuel, infrastructure in mines, and construction. 

However, in 1891, The Great Northern Railway reached the Flathead Valley so that its timber could be sold more widely. Railroad construction and maintenance alone created a huge demand for lumber. For this reason, The Great Northern established the John O’Brien Lumber Company, which later became the Somers Lumber Company, the largest sawmill in the Flathead Valley. Trestles that extended into the lake like piers were built in Somers, Dayton, and Polson enabling trains to pick up and drop off large bundles of logs from the water, where tugboats transported them around the lake and rivers to be processed at the sawmills. 

Trestles Repurposed

The logging industry started to decline in the 1930s, and the economy shifted from timber harvesting to focus on tourism and recreation. As a result, the trestles in Flathead Lake were abandoned by the rail and lumber companies. However, in the 1980s, the trestles were given a second life when Jim Lekander bought the trestle in Somers and transformed it into a marina, which is now the location of the North Flathead Yacht Club. You can still see the ruins of the old sawmill next to their clubhouse. Years later, the trestle in Dayton was similarly converted into the marina for the South Flathead Yacht Club.

The Trestle-to-Trestle Race

In a nod to the significance of Flathead Lake’s trestles on sailing today, the North Flathead Yacht Club hosts a yearly Trestle-to-Trestle race. The race begins at the former location of the Somers trestle, the NFYC dock, and ends at the former trestle site in Dayton. The exciting, long-distance Trestle-to-Trestle race is an opportunity for competitors and spectators to appreciate the history of Flathead Lake. Additionally, Go Sail Montana‘s sailing courses provide a chance for everyone to witness and appreciate the history of Flathead Lake while improving their sailing skills. Our newest course, ASA 102, focuses on racing, making it the perfect way to prepare for the Trestle-to-Trestle race.