Spring is in the air, and Kalispell’s favorite blue cow had a baby over in Evergreen. 

The Blue Calf Car Wash, located just off U.S. 2 at Hidden Buck Court, opened March 19, much to the joy Blue Cow’s loyal customers, who have been asking for a second location for years.   

Open 24 hours a day, the Blue Calf integrates high-end, modern car wash technology. Instead of the traditional spinning foam brushes, the Blue Calf is “touchless” and uses high-pressure water sprayers to achieve a sparkling clean finish. With this new innovation, the Blue Calf is able to accommodate dually pickup trucks and vehicles up to 8 feet tall.  

The Blue Calf is the first branch site of the Blue Cow Car Wash located off U.S. 93 in Kalispell. The Blue Cow was started in 2004 and took its name from the Blue Cow Cafe, which was housed in the same building. Over the years, the cafe closed, and the car wash expanded, but the familiar blue cow is still standing, with dedicated staff and loyal customers.  

John Rasmussen purchased the Blue Cow in 2024 and jumped feet-first into the car wash business, leaning on the expertise of the long-time staff. Many of the Blue Cow’s six full-time employees have been around for more than a decade and carry a wealth of knowledge. 

Achieving that perfect wash requires a dialed-in combination of chemistry and pressure to tackle different problems. There’s salt in the winter, mud during shoulder season, and dust and bugs in the summer. The changing seasons of Northwest Montana keep Rasmussen and his veteran staff on their toes, as different types of “dirty” require different washing methods.  

Operating a car wash in Montana also requires a thorough knowledge of the complex car wash equipment that isn’t necessary in many other parts of the country.  

“Up here, we have to be able to keep things running on our own,” said Rasmussen. “If something breaks, it’s not like in the bigger cities. In another city, like Boise or Seattle, we wouldn’t have to know as much about the equipment. If something broke, we could call up our distributor, and they could be over the same day to come fix it. But we don’t have that luxury. Our staff is awesome and they can fix just about anything to try and keep us running as much as possible.” 

Many of Blue Cow’s dedicated employees live in Evergreen, and Rasmussen is glad they’ll now have a place to wash their own cars a little closer to home. 

Single washes at the Blue Calf start at $14. Monthly membership options start at $30 per month and include up to 15 washes per month. The Blue Calf has an instant license plate reader, so members can breeze through the car wash in a matter of minutes at any time of the day. 

All washes include free vacuum use and free towel usage.  

There isn’t a joint membership option for both the Blue Cow and the Blue Calf, but Rasmussen said they’re hoping to provide an option to “join the herd” soon. A joint membership would cost a little more than current monthly memberships but would allow customers to take advantage of both locations.  

Rasmussen recommends washing a vehicle two to four times a month. For many people, their car is their most valuable asset, and regular washing is an important component of keeping it in tip-top shape. 

Looking toward the future, the Blue Cow herd is set to keep expanding. A new location is currently under construction in Helena, and Rasmussen is also eyeing possible branches in Columbia Falls and Whitefish. 

According to Rasmussen, Northwest Montana needs it. His biggest takeaway from the car wash business so far? 

“We in the Valley wash some of the dirtiest cars of anywhere in the country.” 

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.  

    The Blue Calf Car Wash in Evergreen is the first branch location of the Blue Cow Car Wash and opened on March 27. (Elsa Ericksen/Daily Inter Lake)