Ninepipe and Pablo National Wildlife Refuge
Photo courtesy: Ninepipe and Pablo National Wildlife Refuge
National Bison Range
Photo courtesy: U.S.F.W.S.
Originally settled by Salish residents in 1883, this town was called Spring Creek for the local warm springs that flow into the nearby Flathead River. Residents changed the name to Ronan Springs in 1893 as a tribute to Maj. Peter Ronan, who served as the Flathead Indian Reservation agent from 1877 until his death in 1893. Ronan experienced a sudden boom when the federal government opened the Flathead Indian Reservation to non-Indian homesteading in 1910. (Copyright 2009, Montana Historical Society: Montana Place Names from Alzada to Zortman, Montana Historical Society Research Center Staff)
Adorned with the beauty of the Mission Mountain and various sources of fishing and wildlife habitat, the community of more than 3,000 residents offers a wealth of resources and enjoyment. Ronan's Area Chamber of Commerce is a community project serving summer visitors to the Mission Valley. Hiking in the Mission Mountain Wilderness Area by permit, touring the National Bison Range, picnicking in the city park, enjoying the Garden of the Rockies Museum and sightseeing along the Flathead River are among the many attractions. Just west of Ronan, The Mission Mountain Golf Course is acclaimed as one of Montana's finest golf courses featuring lush fairways and beautiful green with a fantastic view of the Mission Mountains. This course is suited for any caliber of golfer and is open to the public.
Ninepipe and Pablo National Wildlife Refuge is an exceptional wetland complex that contains over 800 glacial potholes and a 1,770-acre reservoir. About 200 bird species have been recorded. Nesting great blue herons and double-crested cormorants can be observed from the road on the west side of the refuge.
