HAILEY SMALLEY
POLITICS AND NATURAL RESOURCES REPORTER
Hailey Smalley covers politics and natural resources for the Daily Inter Lake. Her reporting examines how government decisions and environmental issues affect communities across Northwest Montana. Smalley has reported on wildfire concerns, wildlife research and the impact of federal policy on local residents and public lands. Her work translates complex policy and scientific topics into accessible reporting for readers. She focuses on stories that shape the region’s future and the communities that depend on its land and resources.
IMPACT: Hailey’s work helps readers understand how policy and environmental decisions affect Montana’s land, wildlife and communities.
Recent Stories
Logan Pass time limits helped juggle record July visitation, Glacier National Park officials say
Labor Day marked the close of Glacier National Park’s pilot season for a timed parking system at Logan Pass.
3D photo collection opens window to Glacier National Park's past
3D photo collection opens window to Glacier National Park's past
Most of the 1,800 images in the collection were actually composed of two separate photographs, taken at the same time but spaced a few inches apart.
Tribes ask for public's help in staving off non-native brown trout
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are echoing Montana wildlife officials’ concerns about the illegal introduction of non-native fish following reports of brown trout in the Flathead River Basin.
GOP ‘civil war’ ignites in the Flathead Valley
A faction of Republican precinct leaders is seeking to oust local party leadership following what they view as a series of missteps and power grabs by Flathead County Republican Central Committee Chair Al Olszewski.
Forests prep salvage sales ahead of wildfire season
Thousands of acres of federal and state forestlands in the inland Pacific Northwest are being contracted out for salvage sales following mass blowdown events this winter.
Echoes of the 1926 wildfire season, a century later
An uneasy quiet settled over Superior, Montana on the night of July 17, 1926. Wind that had gusted throughout the afternoon suddenly calmed, leaving only the crackling of embers to fill the silence.
State pitches price hikes for parks and campsites
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials are reshuffling state park fees to reflect rising costs and better align with rates in neighboring states.
Spirits high on opening day for Going-to-the-Sun Road
Idling on his motorcycle at the tail end of a two-mile traffic jam outside Glacier National Park’s West Entrance at 9 a.m. on the Going-to-the-Sun Road’s opening day, Casey Doggett began to doubt the last-minute shift in his plans.
Going-to-the-Sun Road expected to open Monday
The full length of Going-to-the-Sun Road will open to vehicles Monday barring any unforeseen rockfalls or weather events.
State looks to lock down 55,000 acres of Northwest Montana timberland in perpetual conservation easements
State officials are making headway on two conservation easements that would collectively safeguard more than 55,000 acres of private timberlands in Northwest Montana.
Park confirms bear encounter in Many Glacier on Thursday
Grinnell Glacier Trail is closed after what Glacier National Park officials described as a surprise bear encounter Thursday afternoon.
Glacier Park officials: Bear spray found near body of dead hiker
Search crews found a can of bear spray near where a Florida man was killed in an apparent bear attack in Glacier National Park earlier this month.
Settlement pending in lawsuit accusing Whitefish of racial profiling
A lawsuit in federal court accusing the city of Whitefish of racial profiling appears poised to end in a settlement after a judge dismissed several of the original claims.
State to target non-native trout in Bull River drainage
State wildlife officials plan to revamp invasive fish suppression efforts on the East Fork Bull River to combat a so-called “hotspot of hybridization” threatening native westslope cutthroat and bull trout populations.
Osprey monitoring project takes flight in Northwest Montana
There was definitely a bird in the old osprey nest above Old Steel Bridge. Jess Garby could see the arc of a small round head peeking over the tangle of sticks, backlit by the morning sun.
Warm winter challenges Northwest Montana timber industry
Soaring winter temperatures. An atmospheric river that washed out bridges and roads. A massive windstorm that scattered trees like pick-up sticks.
Westslope cutthroat trout project planned for creek in the North Fork
State officials plan to eradicate fish in a tributary of the North Fork of the Flathead River this summer in a bid to expand the range of native westslope cutthroat trout.
Conservation groups file lawsuit against Libby mining project
A coalition of local and statewide environmental groups is asking a federal judge to halt a controversial mining exploration project in the Cabinet Mountains.
Federal appeals court upholds injunction on Montana’s drag ban
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld provisions last week blocking Montana from enforcing a ban on drag story hours and performances in public schools and libraries.
It’s all in the genes
Biologists search for clues in the DNA of one of Montana’s most elusive creatures
The fishers had been live captured from Minnesota forests back in November and transported via pickup truck to a research facility in Northwest Montana. There, biologists prepared the small, weasel-like creatures for release back into the wild.
Construction will cause partial closures in Glacier National Park
Two Medicine, St. Marys will be affected
Officials plan to close access to Two Medicine at the park boundary during the spring and fall of this year to accommodate a trio of construction projects repairing the area’s utilities, water distribution system and roads.
Easement protects wildlife habitat near Glacier
Easement protects wildlife habitat near Glacier
When Connie Lane took her first trip up Going-to-the-Sun Road in 1996, she experienced a moment of transcendence.
Montana lawmakers look to regulate kratom ahead of 2027 session
State lawmakers are seeking ways to regulate kratom ahead of the 2027 legislative session, arguing that synthetic concoctions of the drug are too dangerous to leave unchecked for another year.
Fuels reduction project planned for the canyon, east of West Glacier
Forests along a 40-mile stretch of U.S. 2 will be thinned in fall 2026, according to a scoping notice recently published by Flathead National Forest.
Glacier National Park hits brakes on vehicle reservation system
For the first time in years, summer visitors in 2026 will be able to drive personal vehicles into the Glacier National Park at any time of day without a reservation.
Though diminished, glaciers may persist through end of century
Northwest Montana’s glaciers are still melting, albeit slower than scientists previously predicted.
Deadly white-nose disease detected in bats at Libby Dam
Disease also found in Bonner County
A colony of bats near Libby Dam tested positive for the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, marking the first detection of the deadly disease in western Montana.
Bill seeks to streamline border crossings for tribal members
Enrolled tribal members may soon be able to freely cross the U.S.-Canada border as several federal representatives call for the repeal of a little-known federal law centered around the controversial concept of blood quantum.