Flathead Reservation

 Charlo Montana is the home of the Nine Pipes Museum, where history of Montana's Flathead Indian Reservation culture is housed. The Montana visitors site says Charlo is also one of the "oldest wildlife refuges in the nation". The Flathead Indian reservation is home to the  confederated Salish Kootenai tribes, which stretches across Western Montana from north of Missoula to just south of Kalispell, and it covers some of Western Montana's most beautiful landscape.

The Mission mountains provide a dramatic backdrop for Flathead Lake. The locals told me that this is the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi, and it's all natural. It's also touted as the home of Nessie the Loch Ness Monster, but that's a story for another time.

 

On the way to Charlo.

 This area is where Michelle felt most at home. I watched her smile brightened as she continued to connect with people that she knew from her days of living there.

Michelle catching up with posts.

There is a distinct difference in a person's demeanor when they're happy, here, Michelle is happy.