Scenic View
Photo courtesy: MTOT
Paradise was the division point on the Northern Pacific and the spot where railway men, traveling westward, changed their watches from Mountain Standard Time to Pacific Time before heading over the mountains forming Montana's western border. Not all historiansor even residentsagree, but the story is that the town's name is a modification of "Pair O' Dice," which was the name of a roadhouse on the trail through this area in its early days.(from Cheney's Names on the Face of Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company)
Paradise is located along the Clark Fork River. It is home to a wide variety of fish that includes rainbow trout, westslope cutthroat, eastern brook trout, bull trout, and the longnose sucker. The river provides excellent fish habitat with a variety of water depths, a varying bottom for hiding places, an abundance of insects, and lots of cool, clean water.
From here, take a scenic drive on the St. Regis-Paradise Scenic Byway, which lies within the Lolo National Forest. This scenic route, with the motto: The River, The People, The Land, takes motorists through varying terrain, from spacious, rolling flats to steep canyon walls where it winds through the Coeur d'Alene Mountains.
The surrounding area offers camping in Thompson Falls State Park, or wildlife viewing at the National Bison Range. You can also take a dip in one of the the Quinn's Hot Springs Resort located near Paradise or enjoy golfing or museums in the Flathead Lake area.
