Bigfork is located in Flathead County 15 miles southeast of Kalispell along Hwy 206 near the Wayfarer Recreation Area.

It is near the Big Mountain Ski Resort and Blacktail Ski Area, and Swan Wilderness.

The Black feet Indians crossed the Continental Divide to camp along the shores of Flathead Lake and Swan River each spring, and later the European settlers discovered the site as they moved west in search of new frontiers and new dreams.

It was over 100 years ago that the town was platted by Everit Sliter in 1901 and officially became Bigfork, possibly because of its location where the Swan River, a "big fork" of the Flathead River system, enters the 195-square mile lake.