Blacktail Mountain Ski Area kicks off the inaugural Blacktail Archery Festival this weekend for an action-packed three days of shooting for archers of all skill levels.  

An archery festival was previously held at Blacktail Mountain, run by Colorado-based Mountain Archery Fest, a group that organized 3D mountain shooting events throughout the country. When Mountain Archery Fest shuttered its doors last year, Lakeside’s annual shooting event was cancelled indefinitely. 

“The community really missed the event, and I really missed the event,” said Blacktail’s General Manager Jessi Wood. “It is just a fun weekend on the mountain. It's such a great group of people that come up for these shoots.” 

With the help of local partners, including Flaming Arrow Archery and Flathead Valley Archers, Blacktail set out to bring the archery weekend back for 2026. 

The festival features three archery courses throughout Blacktail Mountain that are accessed from the chair lifts, giving archers a chance to explore the slopes of the ski resort in the summer months and offering sweeping views of Flathead Lake and the surrounding mountain ranges.  

The competition operates in a format like golf: groups of four to six people are assigned a start time and keep track of their own scores using a scorecard. With no time limits, the course is accessible to archers of all skill levels.  

Rinehart Targets, a sponsor of the event, contributed premium shooting targets to the event. The 3D, lifelike targets depict wild game like deer, elk and bears. Scores for each target are determined by how close an archer comes to a “kill shot.” 

The weekend also features a competitive shootout for a cash prize on Saturday afternoon, as well as a beer garden, vendor village and meals from the ski area’s restaurants. An archer’s dinner is Saturday night in Muley’s Bar. Wood asked interested guests to book the dinner ahead of time so she knows how much meat to purchase. Those who do get a free drink. 

On-site camping at the mountain opens Friday at 4 p.m. The archery course is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday with awards taking place on Sunday at 4 p.m. There are prizes for the top scorers, including OnX Hunt memberships and other great items from local businesses. Registration for the weekend costs $165.  

“It's such a fun way to get people to the summit in what is our off season, walk around this beautiful mountain and get ready for hunting season, which, as it turns out, isn't that far away,” Wood said. 

For more information about the inaugural Blacktail Archery Festival, visit blacktailmountain.com/blacktail-archery-festival-2026.

Reporter Elsa Ericksen can be reached at 406-758-4459 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.