Full view
View all photos (50)50
Room & Suite (9)
Pool & Beach (2)
About
#1 of 2 hotels in Lima
Location
4.7
Cleanliness
4.8
Service
4.8
Value
4.5
GreenLeaders Silver level
Elk Lake Resort is located in Montana's most unique wide open space - a perfectly 'natural' location for your family vacation or couples getaway. We offer country elegance, home-away-from-home comfort and wide open outdoor recreation. Whether you come to relax in Montana's mountains, to enjoy a family vacation package in Montana's outback, or to pursue your own 'trails' in our wide open spaces - this vacation you will find your 'home' in the mountains.
Read more
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Free parking
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Non-smoking hotel
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Location
Full view
Contact
5200 Elk Lake Rd, Lima, MT 59739-9711
Getting there
Rental CarsSee all Lima rental cars
58Reviews2Q+A11Room tips
Reviews
Traveler rating
- 48
- 8
- 0
- 1
- 1
Time of year
Traveler type
Language
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
Sort by:
Most Recent
We stayed at Elk Lake 3 days & 2 nights in early June - the same days Yellowstone Park was closed due to flooding, mudslides etc. It rained on us Monday & Tuesday, but we hiked, fished and enjoyed quiet time. Wednesday we woke up to bright sunshine and a big bald eagle watching us from the top of the pine trees on the hill above the camp. Jake & Laurel are great hosts, the food is homemade and delicious & portions are generous. Our cabin was warm & cozy - a great thing since it snowed on Monday evening (6/13). Potential visitors should know there is no cell service, Internet, tv or radio, so be prepared to entertain yourself. That's not hard since the immediate area is beautiful and conducive to being outside as much as possible. We enjoyed ourselves so much we're already planning a trip again next year. Fly fishermen love Elk Lake; Hidden Lake is over the hill. Elk Lake is adjacent to the Red Rock Lakes Wildlife sanctuary home to Trumpeter swans, Sandhill cranes and a variety of other birds. A little driving will take you off the beaten path, into an enclave of small cabins and the friendly world of Laurel & Jake.…
Read more
Date of stay: June 2022
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Cabins are all well appointed. Beds are comfy and have a generous amount of quilts/blankets &...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Laurel DeLong, Owner at Elk Lake Resort
Responded Jul 1, 2022
What a lovely review, Susan. We thank you for that and also for describing the local area so well to others. We feel this is a magical valley, too, and love to share it with our guests. Please do come and visit again. Laurel
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
For many years we have been visiting this place for lunch on one of our snowmobile trip days. We have seen the proprietors change over the years but there has never been a change in service or friendliness or food. Makes for a great day trip after a great day of food and talk a ride thru the moose reserve to see how many you can see. It’s not uncommon to see a set of ears moving over a rise.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2022
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Laurel DeLong, Owner at Elk Lake Resort
Responded Feb 2, 2022
Hi...thank you for your support and your kindness in your review. We strive to make everyone's experience as yummy as possible and the moose are just a bonus thrown in during the winter. :-) Hope to see you again next winter! Laurel
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
‘Welcome home’ is how the gracious owners, Jake and Laurel, greet us when we arrive each year. And that is just how they treat all guests, like part of their family. As we drive into the Centennial Valley and our phones lose service we take a deep sigh and let the breathtaking beauty of Montana take the lead. If you’re looking for quiet and good Montana hospitality, look no further. There is nothing I enjoy more than sitting on the rocking chairs on the porch and enjoying a cup of coffee. The fishing is great, the beds are comfy, cabins clean and quaint, the staff are amazing, the views outstanding, the FOOD is amazing!!! We can’t say enough good things and we’ll continue to visit every year. What it lacks in ‘fancy’ it more than makes up for in an authentic rustic Montana experience. Disconnect and get out there! Elk Lake and the owners are one in a million!…
Read more
Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Laurel DeLong, Owner at Elk Lake Resort
Responded Sep 3, 2021
Thank you so much, EJ. Jake and I just love when your group comes to visit. You bring so much fun, joy, and energy to this place. Your review was quite poetic and we appreciate every word of it; those crossword puzzles are really building a nice vocabulary. :-) We look forward to all of you coming each year!
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our friends stay at Elk Lake every summer. The staff is incredible and so accommodating. The cabins are very clean and the beds are so comfortable. We would recommend Elk Lake for anyone looking to get away to enjoy the bright stars sitting around the campfire. We consider this our home away from home! Big thank you to Jake, Laurel, Chris and Val for such a great visit. - Bridget
Read more
Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Laurel DeLong, Owner at Elk Lake Resort
Responded Sep 3, 2021
Hi Bridget...such kind words. We enjoy your group so much and always look forward to the energy you bring to the resort. By now we all have stories to tell about each other and we look forward to many more to come. Looking forward to next year's visit!
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This year marks our 5th visit to Elk Lake Resort. The reasons we keep coming back are the unparalleled beauty and the incomparable hospitality of Laurel, Jake, and staff. If you’re coming from the big city and expect turn down service, coffee delivery, and a private butler, you’re in the wrong place. However, if you are seeking solitude, spectacular wildlife, and an authentic Montana experience in addition to incredible meals and “rustic luxury” then this is a place you’ll love as much as we do. Elk Lake Resort just might be the least discovered gem in the last best place. If you get a chance to visit here, consider yourself lucky.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Laurel DeLong, Owner at Elk Lake Resort
Responded Sep 3, 2021
You so nailed it on the head as far as the vibe we try to create out here. Having awesome guests makes it easy and you and the rest of the gang are certainly in that category. Thank you so much for "discovering" us five years ago and sharing us with your friends. We absolutely love hosting you!
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
It is not a gentle summer in Montana. Montana has had serious fires and extreme temps, drought, food delivery problems caused by bottlenecks. All of which made our stay really outstanding. The usual compliments all are applicable. We however, experienced an aspect that few experience. The Goose fire started very close by and ran north past Hidden, Goose, and Cliff and Wade lakes. Forest Service set up a camp about a mile south of Elk Lake. The folks at Elk Lake Camp were constantly sending goodies and big bags of cookies to the fire fighters. The people at the Elk Lake Lodge are just plain "good folks" and deserve the highest praise.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Laurel DeLong, Owner at Elk Lake Resort
Responded Jul 27, 2021
What a lovey and honest statement you made about very challenging times this year. You were troopers to stick it out when there was so much drama going on...thank you for that. And a huge thanks for the kind sentiments about us...we are so very appreciative of all the work the firefighters do!
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
This was a fantastic place. Just amazing. Nice very clean cabins. We spent nine days there and so quiet. Our last night was July and our first July 4 in many years with no fireworks which was great for the quiet as well as for fire hazards. Food is over the top and quantities were huge. The owners really go the extra mile to please. We went out each morning around 6:30 in our car in search for wildlife. We usually saw only one or two cars in our first three hours. The wildlife was just amazing and I got some great wildlife photos. This place fills up a year in advance. They need to charge more for what they offer! A small wilderness quiet location only a stone's throw from the craziness in Yellowstone National Park. Same eco system, but so much more classy.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2021
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: All rooms are great.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Laurel DeLong, Owner at Elk Lake Resort
Responded Jul 27, 2021
Hi E...we loved getting to know you and J. You are such fun and interesting folks, what with all your travels and adventures. We are so glad you "found us" and had such a relaxing and rewarding time (when it comes to photographs, for sure.) We hope you are enjoying your new "digs" and hope you come see us again sometime.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
First off, the area is beautiful and the dinner we had here was really good! BUT not all of our experience was so great. The Ranch House does NOT have a kitchen!! No way to cook any food or wash anything. There is a bathroom with a shower thankfully. We must have missed fine print somewhere stating that there isn’t any cooking amenities. The owners also didn’t find it necessary to let us know we couldn’t cook when we booked for the weekend but only made a dinner reservation for one night. We had pre made casserole and brought it for one nights dinner and thankfully the wife let us use their oven before dinner started, after her husband had flat out told us no and that they were full for dinner that night. So pretty much our whole group was just SOL for dinner. MICE MICE MICE The ranch house is also occupied by mice! Both nights we had to use a small garbage can to catch mice (plural!) before bed. They also didn’t tell us that there are poison pods for the mice in every room even though we had young kids with us!! 605$ a night for our group to stay in the ranch house is a little ridiculous for how run down the building is and the mice!!!! Plus the poor customer service all around. We are local to the area and will NOT be returning to Elk Lake.…
Read more
Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Laurel DeLong, Owner at Elk Lake Resort
Responded Jul 13, 2021
I am glad you enjoyed your dinner. As for you not being informed of the lack of cooking amenities in the cabins, it is quite common for people to bring camp stoves or do campfire cooking while they are here. When we talked upon your check out I suggested that perhaps more communication could have taken place from both ends. I readily warmed up your casseroles after I explained that my husband simply tries to save me from doing extra work. Mice: we have D-Con mouse poison dispensers in all the cabins to combat the mice that live out here in the wilderness. Mice tend to enter the cabins more when people have food in them and also when people leave doors open. It is a constant battle. Because of your discomfort, I did take $100 off the price of the cabin. The price we charged simply reflected the fact that you had 8 people in the Ranch House; we charge per person. Please feel free to contact me directly if you would like any further discussion.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This is a true hidden gem! We drove our sideXsides 65 miles through the Gravelley Mountains to the remote Elk Lake Resort and spent two nights in one of their cozy, cute and clean cabins. Of course, you can drive in much closer from Henry's Lake, ID or Monida, MT., along the Centennial Mountains and Red Rock Lakes. A delicious homemade breakfast was included each morning... the breakfast items are a wonderful, unique surprise each morning. We fished or took drives during the day then came back for cocktails and a fantastic dinner at the lodge. The lake is beautiful and has swans and ducks talking to you as you use the free paddle boat or canoes. Our friend said he caught a fish so big that he couldn't get it into the boat... so he let it loose!! Jake and Laurel are great hosts and do everything they can to make your stay the most enjoyable event of all! You've got to put a stay at the Elk Lake Resort on your bucket list! Or, make it an annual event like we plan to do.…
Read more
Date of stay: August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Laurel DeLong, Owner at Elk Lake Resort
Responded Sep 3, 2020
This was such a lovely review to read...really an uplifting moment during these unsettled times. We are glad you had such a great time and look forward to seeing you again next year!
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We loved having our wedding at Elk Lake! It was everything we could have hoped for for our wedding. It really was the perfect space for the two of us and our closest family and friends. The food was amazing and the views are breathtaking!
Read more
Date of stay: July 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Laurel DeLong, Owner at Elk Lake Resort
Responded Sep 3, 2020
Thank you so much for your sweet review. We enjoyed hosting your wedding and hope you come back for an anniversary celebration in the years to come!
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ALSO KNOWN AS
elk lake hotel lima
LOCATION
United StatesMontanaLima
NUMBER OF ROOMS
7
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Elk Lake Resort
What are some of the property amenities at Elk Lake Resort?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and free parking.
What food & drink options are available at Elk Lake Resort?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant and a lounge during their stay.
Are pets allowed at Elk Lake Resort?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Does Elk Lake Resort have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the mountain view available here.