Entire home

Elegant Wild Swan Retreat Center

Photo gallery for Elegant Wild Swan Retreat Center

Rear view of Wild Swan Retreat Center
Front view of Wild Swan Retreat Center in Fall.
Front entry in winter.
Front door in Winter
4 cascading granite slabs and a step up to the porch make it an easy entry.

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 6223.0 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
500 Wild Swan Trail, Bigfork, MT, 59911
  • Echo Lake
    ‪9 min drive‬
  • Bigfork Summer Playhouse
    ‪14 min drive‬
  • Eagle Bend Golf Club
    ‪18 min drive‬
  • Kalispell, MT (FCA-Glacier Park Intl.)
    ‪39 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Elegant Wild Swan Retreat Center

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 small 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.

Property manager

Lisa Gilbert

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Outdoor space
Parking available
Mountain view

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

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

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Bigfork

Located in Bigfork, this holiday home is in a rural area and in the mountains. Flathead Lake and Flathead National Forest reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Eva Gates Homemade Preserves and Kehoe's Agate Shop. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Bigfork, MT

What's nearby

  • Echo Lake - 9 min drive - 10.8 km
  • Wayfarers State Park - 11 min drive - 10.8 km
  • Flathead Lake - 13 min drive - 10.7 km
  • Bigfork Summer Playhouse - 14 min drive - 11.2 km
  • Eagle Bend Golf Club - 18 min drive - 17.6 km

Getting around

  • Kalispell, MT (FCA-Glacier Park Intl.) - 39 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Echo Lake Cafe - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪El Topo Cantina - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪Flathead Lake Brewing Company - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪Sitting Duck - ‬19 min drive
  • ‪Taco Mexico Restaurant - ‬14 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Elegant Wild Swan Retreat Center pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this 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.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 30 out of 37 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 37 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 37 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 37 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 37 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Check-in

9.4/10

Communication

9.6/10

Location

9.2/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

August & Mike F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peace & Quiet

This property is beautiful, comfortable, peaceful and quiet. We enjoyed our stay and will book again next time we're in the area!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Millissa G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Disconnect to reconnect

All I can say is WOW!!! The seclusion and quiet was amazing and just what my kids and I needed. Would stay again!!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Josephine I., Texas

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Montana stay

Great house! We enjoyed the wildlife and the quiet evenings!
Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bruce R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Everything was great. Would definitely stay again.

Excellent.
Stayed 9 nights in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Matthew J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful setting

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!
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

George M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Place of peace and beauty.

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.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Julie S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family vacation

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.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Eda B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely, peaceful setting- truly a retreat!

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
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Max and Mary J., Vancouver, WA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

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
Stayed 30 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Kim C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice house

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
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Justin C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Tucked Away

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!!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amy B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quiet, woodsy get-away

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!
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ruthanne P., Cottonwood

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Peacefulness Plus

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!
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2021

6/10 Okay

Janice H.

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.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Don T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful retreat

Peaceful getaway! Wish we could’ve stayed longer and enjoy the scenery. Thank you for opening up your home to us.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Dennis M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

My review

Nice property. Secluded and spacious. Filled our requirement admirably.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Trevor W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2022

6/10 Okay

Linda D.

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.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Niko P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautifully secluded

A perfect retreat into the mountains. We loved it here.
Stayed 8 nights in May 2021

8/10 Good

Jiska v.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place

Loved this big and beautiful home. Great place to come back to after a day in Glacier NP.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Ken M., Eagle Mountain

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful Family Get Away

We choose the swan lake retreat because of how beautiful the property was, and it did not disappoint. The property is remote, quiet, and has beautiful surroundings. We were able to walk around the 20 acre property and see the pond, gardens, and open meadows and trees. This place was also really great for our two kids (4 and 1). They had lots of toys for them to play with, games, and activities. It made it a great experience with how the Swan Lake Retreat was só family friendly. For the adults, there is a great back patio for you to relax and enjoy the outdoors, and at night you can watch the 15 turkeys fly right up into the trees in the backyard. It was really a cool thing to watch every evening. There were only a couple of things I would let other renters know. 1. No Air Conditioning - We arrived on a Sunday at the beginning of August and it was a little bit of a heat wave there in Montana. It was only an issue the first day we showed up, it was 95 degrees outside and the house was warm. They had opened the windows, but I think that has made it a little worse. There is only ceiling fans in the master bedroom and great room. In the kids/guest bedroom, they had another fan available to help try and cool off the bedroom, but in the office/front bedroom didn’t have a portable fan, so my only recommendation to the owners is to provide another fan for that room. We opened up all the windows that night and the house cooled right off, and we didn’t have any other issues the rest of the week. 2. No Traditional TV - this wasn’t an issue for us because we don’t watch TV, but my father in law loves to watch TV, so he was a little disappointed. They do have a pretty good internet connection out there, we were able use our own streaming services on the internet and it worked out just fine. I think they had some of streaming services on their Roku, but it was limited. Outside of these two things, and really for us it was only 1, this place is a wonderful getaway, we really enjoyed it. The owners were very responsive when we needed something to cook with, and the house was super clean when we arrived. We loved our stay. I would highly recommend to any small group looking for an amazing Montana get away.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Macey C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful property. Spacious and clean with everything we needed to enjoy our stay!

Very easy to rent and communication with the owner was a breeze.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2020

8/10 Good

Michael M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Loved the deer and turkeys

The property is nice and clean, the wildlife every evening and morning was great, I just wish for summertime guests that the property had air conditioning. We also had our boat with us and the parking was a little right to get the boat in and out.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Beverly F.

How fortunate were we?

To find this place and stay here? This house is beautiful. This property is beautiful. Ideal location. Private. You can easily get to several delightful towns, and dine and shop. The West entrance to Glacier is only a 45 minute drive. A wonderful experience.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018

About the host

Hosted by Lisa Gilbert

Host profile image
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