Charlo itself is a small community located in "Lake County" at latitude 47.439 and longitude -114.172. The height above sea level is 2,936 feet. At last count Charlo had a population of 439 with 175 houses/apartments and a land area land area of 2 sq. miles is also known by the names Big Flat, Charlotte, Tabor.

Charlo was originally a crossing for ground carriers hauling grain and other goods from the Ronan Valley to the railroad at Dixon. The place was called Charlo, in honor of Chief Charlo of the Flatheads, on of the few chiefs who refused to sign Special Commissioner James A. Garfield's order (August 27, 1872) removing all Indians of the region to the Jocko reservation. Joseph Dixon, a governor and US Senator, was pivotal in establishing the name Charlo.

The Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana is located in Charlo. This was established to commemorate the history and culture of the Flathead Indian Reservation and early Montana settlements. The exhibits include arms, horse and field work artifacts, a very large collection of Native American beadwork with life-size dioramas of wild animals and a Indian settlement. Outside there is an old "wild west" cabin, wagons and buggies.

The famous "National Bison Reserve" is located just seven miles southwest of Charlo on Highway 212. This was established in 1908 and is one of the oldest wildlife reserves in the country. The reserve protects one of the most important remaining herds of American bison. 300 to 500 of these magnificent animals wander through nearly 20,000 acres of grassland and timber forest. This reserve is also home to whitetail and mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorns, and at least 200 species of birds. There is a visitor's centre with audio tours, and picnic area are available.

We have provided a number of useful features on this site including accommodation, maps, weather and snowfall.