Glacier Institute completes Big Creek restoration

The Glacier Institute has successfully completed its first-ever capital campaign, Restoration Big Creek, raising over $1.5 million to preserve and enhance its flagship youth education site. The project ensures that the historic Big Creek Outdoor Education Center will continue welcoming students for generations to come. To celebrate, a public event will be held on May 16, inviting community members, donors and partners to experience the upgraded campus firsthand.  

Launched in 2021, Restoration Big Creek set out to revitalize the historic Big Creek site, home to Glacier Institute school field trips and youth summer camps since 1988. The project was comprehensive and vital to the safety of participants and the protection of the historic structures, and it allowed for thoughtful expansion of the campus. Initiatives included creating a new foundation with a full basement for the main Mess Hall building on campus, remodeling the staff and participant cabins, and the creation of a septic system that will safeguard Big Creek and the North Fork of the Flathead River.  

While finishing touches like landscaping, a new welcome loop with interpretive signage, and equipping the shop building for legacy woodworking programs are still underway, the site is now fully operational – the first class of the season from Kila School was on April 2.  

“After decades of bubble-gum and duct tape fixes on our beloved Big Creek, we realized we were at a make-or-break moment for the maintenance and stewardship of the campus,” explained Lance Fahrney, a long-time board member and interim executive director from 2019-20. “Taking care to ensure we will be able to serve students, schools, and families for decades to come was a top priority during our strategic planning sessions back in 2020.”  

The Big Creek Outdoor Education Center, located within the Flathead National Forest, has been a central part of the Glacier Institute’s mission since 1988 when the organization was granted access to the historic site. The Glacier Institute, the official education partner of both Glacier National Park and Flathead National Forest, has provided hands-on outdoor education across the region for more than 40 years, helping people of all ages build stronger connections to the natural world