Flathead Cherries Bouncing Back With Huge 2025 Crop

If you’ve driven around the east shore of Flathead Lake lately, you’ve seen it. Every driveway and orchard sports a hand-painted sign promising cherries. After last year’s ragged, ugly freeze, we should hope 2025 turns into one of those summers where you buy a bag and wonder how you lived without them.

From bust to boom

Last summer? Total heartbreaker. Freak cold snaps swamped blossoms just as they were popping, and in some cases, growers didn’t bother getting their ladders from the shed. Now, fast forward, and the trees are heavy. It is as if the Flathead is trying to make up for lost time, and already stands of cherries dotting the edges of Highway 35.

Why Flathead cherries are different

These aren’t just any cherries. Flathead cherries can grow in this ideal little microclimate because the lake is acting like a massive hot tub. They’re sweet, tart, and unique to our part of Montana. People order them from around the world, but the experience of buying a bag from a roadside stand and having sticky hands in the parking lot can’t be beat.

Still holding our breath

Montana weather’s still being Montana. Hail and wind earlier this month bruised some fruit, and too much rain can cause cherries to split before they are picked. So it’s not a sure thing yet, but if conditions remain stable, this could be one of the biggest harvests we’ve seen in years.

Time to plan that road trip

Harvest peaks late July to August, which means now’s the time to plan that drive. Get a bag (or five), swing by a u-pick orchard, and remind yourself why people say Flathead cherries are one of Montana’s best treasures.