Polebridge Mercantile & Bakery

We were there twice on my visit to Montana while camping on the flathead. I can't speak as to the accomodations but the bakery is amazing. Staff was helpful and genuine. Be prepared to pay extra for goods that you need but the quality is well worth it IMHO. Also helps that it's in a beautiful place.

IMO it's worth the drive. The bumps on the gravel stretch weren't horrible, but DO expect points where the clouds of gravel dust take the visibility down to 10 feet or so. The Polebridge village is tiny but interesting. The views of the mountains are gorgeous. There is nothing unique about the store offerings and the prices seem extremely high even given how far off the beaten path this place is. Any staff I dealt with was polite but seemed to be "done with it" this late in the season.

The drive to this place was beyond beautiful! Their baked goods are delicious. We purchased the poppy cream cheese, a honey bun, a cinnamon roll, the spinach and artichoke, and the pepperoni roll. They have some cute merch items to purchase. We also got a sweet little visit from the resident horse. The drive out is worth it alone.

Such a fun place after a long drive on mostly unpaved roads. The food is absolutely incredible (try the Huckleberry Bearclaw and the Pizza Rollie) and the staff in there are so kind and helpful. The cat sleeping on the merchandise was also a big hit for me. Check this out if you are in the area on the way to the North Fork entrance to Glacier National Park.

Great place to visit while at Glacier. Had breakfast the first day, huckleberry claws and lunch the second, pizza sandwich. Both excellent. Highly recommend. And clean bathrooms.

Found out about this place on tic tok. Took about a hour drive north from Columbia Falls. Mostly going 35 mph down an unpaved road. All that was there were some cabins you could rent, small restaurant/bar and a mercantile store. Store was small. The main thing that was raved about were the Huckleberry bear claws. Spend over $15 for two. They were so dry and essentially no flavor. Not good and not worth the drive. Spend your time elsewhere.

​It is unfortunate to see the decline of the Polebridge Mercantile under the current ownership. My primary concern is the large, aggressive dogs that are often unleashed and free-roaming, particularly during the shoulder and off-seasons, which poses a significant safety hazard. ​Additionally, the quality has dropped. The iconic pastries are noticeably less tasty, and the wonderful selection of local, handmade souvenirs has been replaced by cheap, generic items. The Merc, a decades-long cornerstone of the area, is now a sad shadow of its former self.

Beyond impressed with this place. We stopped by on our way to the North Fork entrance of the park. In my opinion an absolute must for any Glacier trip. Pastries were great, everyone was incredibly nice, and they have a wide selection of other items if you need anything. The road here along the west side of the park is not paved, and it’s quite the bumpy ride. I’d recommend entering the park on the going to the sun road and then driving north through the park as far as you can to get here.

I had been told that this place was a must see, if you are in the West Glacier area. A fellow camper had said that their pastry was as good as those found in Paris. I was skeptical...The famed huckleberry bear claw is not a big deal. The demand is so high, that they wrap them up in plastic in order to rapidly hand them off in mass proportions. I think when they are warm, and wrapped this way, something is missing in the actual pastry part of the confection. Having said that, we also tasted a savory spinach/artichoke pastry, and another, fresh looking huckleberry butter danish with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. Now, these 2 treats did rival those we had in Paris! The place is just fun with so many visitors sporting huge smiles...it is well worth the drive to find it. The staff member that helped me was not into her job, and I witnessed her helping another shopper that had some requests about fresh bread...she just could not put herself out, but a lot of people are coming thru there & I think the staff is super duper busy. It I obviously not her job to give me directions, but my GPS was out & I had heard that there was a close park entrance to the Mercantile. She was so vague with directions, which turned out to be crap, so it was not too cool. Maybe just a bad day, as It did appear to be a pretty taxing job, as far as the sheer number of visitors. Grab those pastries & take a look at their gifts. Fun day, fun stuff.

Have you heard of Huckleberries? Never had until I made it out this way and you can get anything with this berry. Some folks I was with tried the bear claw at this place and they are still drooling over just talking about it. It's worth the drive just for that. This is a cute stop in the middle of nowhere! They make great sandwiches (cold and hot) and lots of fresh, homemade goodies and have a cute mercantile. You can also just chill and enjoy the view. I was beyond impressed that they had gluten free options here and I had to sample of few of the cookies. Great stop and worth the drive. Such a treat! Be prepared though it's off a gravel road and the locals like it that way.

Sure, it's a tourist trap, but isn't this one of the reasons you're driving up to Polebridge in the first place? My huckleberry bear claw was good, but could've used more huckleberries spread throughout. All on one side; none on the other. I actually think the huckleberry fritter might've been better, especially after sitting in a hot car for part of the day. My wife thought the sticky bun was only fair. Coffee was very good. We didn't buy any merch, but they had a good selection. A must-stop when you're here.

Painfully bumpy gravel road for miles to get here, but totally worth it!! The folks here are nice and friendly. Got a few pastries, including their claim to fame: Huckleberry Bear Claw. Delish! Quaint shop with nice clean restrooms, as well as a gift shop that you can buy local goods.

Finally made it to Polebridge and we were not disappointed. Bought a couple of bear claws and made our way to Bowman lake. The drive was bumpy but so worth it.

We camped on inside Glacier National Park and drove to Polebridge on our last day there. We didn't have a vehicle pass since we were leaving from Glacier to Polebridge but on our way back we meandered outside Polebridge skirting the Canadian border returning to Glacier via the main entrance. We stopped there the first week of September. It was chilly so hot coffee and pastries sounded delicious. We picked up a breakfast pocket with sausage, egg, and cheese and a Huckleberry bearclaw. Oh my gosh that bearclaw was delicious! There were honey bees flying around and they were sure attracted to that bear claw. I had to eat it and walk around quickly at the same time to out run the bees. I left icing on my finger and let a bee have a snack. We bought souvenirs and noticed the mercantile is truly a back country outpost with things like coleman propane tanks, paracord, some groceriesand safety supplies. We drove around and stumbled upon a pristine lake that had two or three campsites with a vault toilet.

The bumpy ride here was rough. Was it worth it for the huckleberry bear claw? Probably not. It is HUGE btw. My friend and I shared it. It's a cute store. Bought some lemonade too which was okay. Everything is expensive and there's nothing to do in this area but go to this store. So if you have some spare time like we did, go ahead.

Polebridge is a legendary destination in Glazier National Park. The trip to get there is hairy with a pot holed dirt road that rattles your innards Service is kind and homey!! Nothing pretentious about the food and ambience both are one of a kind extraordinary!! The huckleberry bear claw and freshly made gourmet pizzeria stuffed hot pocket are off the charts extraordinary!!

Such a fun place. The huckleberry bear claw is amazing. And huge! We shared one. If you're heading out this way check it out. Staff was friendly and helpful. I'd love another bear claw

It's everything you need. Huckleberry bear claws need to be a nationally produced breakfast pastry

Before heading to Bowman Lake or Kintla Lake- definitely stop by here and stock up with delicious, fresh, homemade huckleberry desserts/drinks, etc. This place is worth the drive. The Huck Bar and Bear claw were so yummy. The staff were also very nice. They have so many desserts to choose from, as well as souvenirs and other local products.

Don't support the business of someone who treats their animals like this. Will never come here again; the bear claws are great and Polebridge is fun but the day was completely ruined by the state of the horses/mules. Hooves are horribly overgrown, broken, horses limping and in obvious pain. I called animal control and there is already an active complaint against the owner of the Merc. These horses were rescued years ago and apparently animal control told them to schedule their horses to be trimmed this month. Why rescue horses from only to make them suffer again? Disgusting.

We spend 5 to 8 trips to the North Fork a year. It goes without saying our first stop is the Polebridge Mercantile. We stock up on breakfast and dessert items that can't be matched anywhere in northwest Montana and beyond.

Food: 3.5/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Overall: Definitely want to stop off here for some grub if you are on the way to Bowman Lake for the day. It's good for a variety of things and of course this really is the only option for any food around! The extended review... Food: Bacon Breakfast Sandwich - 3/5 - The one thing that didn't jive with me was that the inside was slightly cold. Fillings itself were ok. Huckleberry BearClaw - 3/5 - Not a bad treat for the road. I think there was once a glaze on it but with the wrapping it seems to melt away. Chunky Monkey - 3/5 - Nutella and Bananas is an excellent combo. I tasted a lot more dough than the filling though. Andes Mint Cookie - 4/5 - A nice tasty cookie. Slightly chewy which is what I love. Who can say no to a chocolate mint cookie? Service - 4/5 - Friendly service especially considering it was 7am. Ambiance- 4/5 - A super cute sto

Couldn't go to GNP without a visit to the Mercantile. We are staying in Kalispell so the route the map took us involved 23-miles of gravel/washboard roads! We returned via GNP ROAD MUCH BETTER! The huckleberry bear claw is why we went - bought multiple along with some Jam! YUM!

This little mercantile is super cute and a blast to the past! I ordered the famous huckleberry bear claw, which I thought was good, but not out of this world amazing. In my personal opinion, it was a little bit too sweet with too much filling inside. Still, I would still recommend making the trip out to this mercantile, because, as part of the Glacier National Park experience, eating huckleberry sweet treats is a must do! You can take your baked goods to eat on the lawn outside, which has plentiful picnic style tables, and overlooks a little farm and residential area.

We bought two of their $6 huckleberry bear claws at the farmer's market today and they are TERRIBLE. Sour flavor and very dry. Such a waste of $. We've had them in the past and loved them. Not anymore :(

Polebridge is always a great destination, we enjoyed 4 nights in the cabins this trip and it was a great time. The separate showers and bathrooms are clean and linens are basic but very nice. A great cup of coffee along with a fresh baked pastry starts off each morning in style. The staff is so helpful and attentive, they really welcome everyone and make your time here comfortable.

The pastry I admit was something to write home to. I had the spinach and cheese croissant which is not regularly offered here and it was excellent. I wish they have a place like this in L.A. The prices here was a little steep but I think it was worth it. The pizza however was disappointing. They said the secret was in the dough. I gather they were talking about the $. There is hardly anything out here other than this shop and its Huckleberry bears claws. The drive there was rather enjoyable though.

Cute store and good hot coffee if you are in the neighborhood. Pastry's are delicious, especially if hit out of the oven.

A real diamond in the rough. We ended up here during a multiday bikepacking trip we were on. We had been out in the wilderness for several days with nothing but stream filtered water and mountain houses so you can only imagine what it was like to come across this place seemingly out of nowhere. The place was packed! Seemed like we were the only people that hadn't heard of the little town of Polebridge with their bakery, restaurant, lodge, and surly German hostel. We were really excited to find out that since we biked in, we were given free bear claws. Naturally we ordered a dozen more item both for eating right then and taking with us for road treats. There looked to be some Continental Divide hikers as well so this seems to be a well known spot for people on long thru hikes/bike rides. We ended up amending our ride to go back several more times during our trip. Delicious!

What a fun little area, away from the majority of the Glacier NP crowds. Heads up: the roads are gravel and can get a little rough, so be sure your vehicle can sustain the beating before traveling here. We came here on our last day to get to a different side of the park, experience the famous huckleberry bear claws, and to escape the crowds. The shop is full of random odds and ends - candles, apparel, books, foods, drinks, small grocery items, camping/hiking gear, etc. I snagged a locally made candle in a repurposed hard cider can that smelled just like the fresh pines as we hiked earlier in our trip. We also got the huckleberry bear claw, which was tart and sweet. A great little pre-hike treat.

We didn't get into Glacier Park, so we were clued in about the road to get to Polebridge. What a cute stop! The Nutella banana roll and sticky buns were the best we have ever had. Their coffee is Montana Coffee Traders and an excellent cup along with the bakery treats. There is a little farmers market stand too and the mercantile has some neat souvenirs. There is also a saloon next door. We went in the middle of the week and there was a food truck there, but wasn't open. If you make it here, keep going north and you will end up at the Canadian border for some cool pics.

Delicious huckleberry 'bear claws', good coffee, and great fresh huckleberries--but everything else is just alright. One thing that I didn't expect is that the bear claw pastries would not be served warm. They are very fresh, but served cool and wrapped in plastic. It's a great bakery, but quite out of the way for most tourists exploring Glacier National Park and, in my opinion, not worth the 2.5-hr round trip that we did to get there.

Ok, if you're in the middle of nowhere, not sure one thinks that there will be a quality bakery... well this is the spot. It's the only place within almost an hour or more, and frankly, this place knows what's up. The pizza roll was hot and fresh! My friends raved about the brownies, and they were gluten free might I add. What a small gem in the middle of nowhere! Love it!

If you are in the Glacier Park area do yourself a favor and make the trip to Polebridge. The food is fantastic! The bakery is amazing. The residents couldn't be nicer.

I had the famous bear claw -- due to them wrapping it up in plastic wrap right away its a bit soggy, but my main issue was that the berries were not evenly distributed. It's done so you get a nice picture with berries bursting at the top, but theres nothing at the bottom but damp dough. Great gift shop though, I'd get everything here.

We had the best huckleberry bear claw. Those were so scrumptious. Thank goodness it is quite a drive because we would be there daily for those. A must buy in Polebridge.

The best time to go is early in the morning-the drive is beautiful! The service was great, and the food is awesome-especially after a long hike!

What a great place to visit! A trip to "The Merc" was recommended by our AirBnb house and she didn't lead us astray. Polebridge is totally off the grid, but solar power and satellite allows for a semi-connected experience. If you're a hiker or hunter, The Merc is a great place to stock up on supplies. You can even get mail out from the outreaches by dropping it off there. But anytime you'll want to pick up great souvenirs (lots of local artisan goods) and fresh baked treats. Yummy, yummy treats. We bought huckleberry beer bread, huckleberry bear claws and huckleberry bran muffins. All baked on site that day. We also picked up locally smoked pepper jack and sharp cheddar. All super yummy. NO REGRETS. There are different hours during the summer season, hunting season and anytime else, so check the website for information before you plan your trip out. You can pay via card here, even though they're off the grid. As of writing (2017) they use Square and pass the convenience fee on to you. It's about 1.25% of your total bill. NOTE: Many people talked about the trek to Polebridge on the Outer North Fork Road (out of Columbia Falls) being a washboard gravel road. We found the 30 mile trip to be about 2/3 paved and 1/3 gravel. The gravel road was in excellent condition with no ruts or potholes. It took us about 45 min to make the drive because it was a new road to us and we wanted to be cautious. Also the road is slightly narrow so you want to be aware of other vehicles and wildlife (lots of wildlife!). Fill up your tank before making the drive because there aren't any stations once you head north out of Columbia Falls.

Huckleberry bearclaws, need I say more? (Apparently I do, to meet the character limit)

As you might already know the bear claws here are the best. There are a lot of other varieties too. It is a cute little shop. The lady on the counter was friendly and explained us all the varieties they have. If you are here, try visiting Bowman lake if you have a vehicle with a good ground clearance.

Polebridge is an interesting destination at the end of a long drive up a dirt road just outside West Glacier NP. There's a rustic general store that sells some very nice bakery items. The cinnamon rolls are quite good. The walls are adorned with antique farm tools. Outside, there's an outdoor table area near the venue for concert performances. You can order a pizza and enjoy a meal. The property grounds are fairly large. I understand that they rent cabins and camping space. The views of the mountains are pretty nice from here.

The place has gone steadily downhill over the years and turnover of owners They now charge $10 for a sandwich, don't matter if it's hot or cold...$10. I realize it's way up in Polebridge but this is no excuse gouging. The bakery is third rate. The original owner made Bearclaw with flaky pastry dough and real huckleberries- delicious !. Now they use a cheap cake dough and sparsely add some huckleberry and blueberries. A bland gooey gut homb. Ripofff! Hopefully it sells again and gets back to someone that takes pride in their craft and not ripping off the constant flow of tourists

This is such a cute bakery and definitely worth the drive. I liked their bear claw, jalapeño bun, chocolate bun and also spinach and cheese roll. I also got some fresh huckleberries here. Was too full to try their pizzas but would love to try it when I am back.

Drove 50 minutes in the woods to get to this place, some roads being stone. We had no service and I definitely recommend filling up on gas!!! Gorgeous drive leading to a tiny beaten path to this place and the saloon. The bear claws were to DIE for, but equally so- the huckleberry brownies???? To die for!!!! Also got sandwiches in the refrigerated section, also great. Will be retuning before the end of our trip for more! Worth the drive

5 words people: get a Huckleberry bear claw!!!! Such a neat store right before you enter Glacier. They have a great bakery and great coffee. Just make you sure you drink it ALL before going to Kintla Lake (you'll see what I mean). There's a saloon next door and they have super clean bathrooms in a separate building. A cool place to stop in and check out!

OMG! This market is a hidden gem for sure. If you are planning to go to Bowman lake, or not - still worth the trip here. Best baked goods I've ever had. Huge selection of gifts and treats. So amazed and surprised by the quality and flavor of the goods here. We got so much stuff. Immediately when we walked in, we were welcomed with the sweet smell of pastries that were all on display. Everything looked so good and we ended getting as much as we could. We got some savory pastries and some sweet. Both were equally as good. Everything we tried was ABSOLUTELY amazing!

What a special place. I had read on their website that they bake every morning, and wow, that is impressive because they have an enormous selection of various baked goods, both sweet and savory: different pastries, cookies, muffins, etc. The huckleberry bear claws are absolutely delicious. I had two and brought one home on the plane for my mom. I love how you can still taste the freshness of the huckleberries instead of the "jammy" taste many fruit pastries have. If you're staying in this area, you will no doubt visit this bakery, since it's the only shop in the entire area. Apparently, it's also run completely on propane. Neat!

It's like something straight out of a movie set. Honestly, you half expect for a gun fight to occur right in front of the saloon. It is an amazing environment that transports you back 250 years. And - to think . . . You can experience it all be done by driving on some dirt roads and a little bit of gravel. The Polebridge Mercantile is such a unique and interesting place, that not visiting seems like a complete tragedy. Not to mention the wonderful baked goods, and the assorted great drinks they have in their ice chest. Honestly, this place is fantastic. Our little girl loved it. She couldn't get over the living history of the whole environment. Make a point of driving g a little out of the way to a true gem of a place. You won't be disappointed.

Great bakery and overall store. Bathrooms are nice. Food is delicious. Love the butter honey bread! Completely off grid. Check out the awesome solar panels in the back!

Believe. The. Hype. We took a circuitous route to Polebridge Mercantile before heading into Glacier and it was worth every extra second. Such a cool store in a quintessential old west town that is Rich in history. I couldn't help but imagine what this place was like 100 years ago, which added to the experience... But let's focus on the now. Everyone told me that I need to try the Hucklwberry Bear Claws, which I did. They were amazing, but the Huck Macaroons were hands down one of the best things ai have ever eaten, easily best good I have ever eaten. Come for the Bear Claws, but stay for the Huck Macaroons... And have a meatball pocket while you're here!

What could be better than home baked off of the grid (generated power sources)? I loved the savory Pesto Rolls with Sun Dried Tomato and Garlic. I added Cold Brewed Iced Coffee and enjoyed my lunch the park-like grounds. Worth the drive. Be prepared (no cell service or gas stations up the Northfork of the Flathead River).

This is worth the drive just for the scenery alone! The stores prices are absurd but the experience is grand! I spent $48 on just a few pastries and a couple post cards.... If you go up here make sure you go to the Canadian border and to Bowman Lake! Also, the huckleberry bear claw is ok not amazing like it should be. But hey, it is huckleberry..... I hope to go again one day and try the brunch out at the bar next store....

Polebridge is a Glacier staple! The huckleberry bear claw is what they are known for -- very good. I like savory bakery items though. Their croissants are phenomenal! I had one with ham, pesto and Asiago and man was it good. I've had a savory scone too...alright, not very memorable. They sell at the Whitefish farmer's market and at a little shop downtown if you don't want to make the trek to Polebridge! Actual Polebridge is cute and located on a gravel road some ways from West Glacier. It's worth a visit if you are in town for longer than a week otherwise I wouldn't go out of the way to visit the brick-and-mortar location.

Very unique place close to Bowman Lake. We tried several of the bakery items. The huckleberry croissant and danish were great.

My wife and I have wanted to visit Glacier National Park for many years, and finally made the trip this spring. Bowman Lake was on our list as one of our destinations, and we heard that the road just got opened up a few days before. I had figured that Polebridge was just a spot on the map, and not really a town or anything, but I'm happy to say that this was not the case. The Polebridge Mercantile is a cute and fun, and a welcome surprise in the middle of the beautiful wilderness. Bathrooms were extremely clean, and the store itself was super fun! If you have spent any time reading the reviews, you already know that the Huckleberry Bear Claws are the star of the show, and not to be missed. I'm pretty sure that the bakers make the short drive to heaven each morning to get the day's ingredients, and then combine them and bake them with world class skill to create one of the best tasting pastries I have ever had. My wife and I decided to share one of the Bear Claws, since they are large and massive and huge and big. However, after we left and headed toward Bowman Lake, it was just a few hundred yards when my wife broke the silence by saying, "my only regret is that we only got one." Later in the day, as we were returning from our visit to the lake, we swung by the Mercantile again, and picked up two more Bear Claws to enjoy later during our trip. If you are anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, it would not be too far of a drive to head to Polebridge to get a Huckleberry Bear Claw, or two, or three. Yes, they are that good!

What a find! We were exploring this section of Glacier and had no idea the mercantile and adjacent restaurant were out there in the middle of nowhere. The mercantile was packed. You walk in and immediately fall in love with all of the freshly baked goods. You continue on to find a warming cabinet full of 6-8 varieties of hot sandwiches. And it all tasted just as good as it looked. We bought a hot forest ham and cheese, hot spinach and brie, cinnamon roll, huckleberry bear claw, oatmeal raisin cream cheese cookie and soda. We took it to the picnic tables in front of the restaurant and had a wonderful lunch. Had the cinnamon roll the next morning and it was still awesome. Froze the bear claw and had it a week later. Was not as good as it looked but sure it would have been better fresh.

Coffee? Great! Savory pastries? AWESOME!!! Huckleberry Bear Claws and assorted cookies? To DIE for! Can't even describe how wonderful the atmosphere was. Just visit and enjoy!