Home to the University of Montana Grizzlies. Missoula is dubbed the Garden City for its mild winters. Missoula is also a literate town; it's commonplace to chat with a local author about his or her latest book. Missoula is 3 hours south of Glacier National Park and 3 1/2 hours west of Yellowstone National Park. It is surrounded by national forests and a handful of wilderness areas. Best Western Missoula Montana.
Things to do in Missoula
Art Museum of Missoula
View a permanent collection of 19th and 20th century northwest art with changing exhibitions. Fee Call 406-728-0447 for more information.
Beavertail Hill State Park
Located 26 miles southeast of Missoula offering river and pond fishing. Call 406-542-5500 for more information.
Bob Marshall Wilderness
Known as the flagship of the nations' wilderness fleet, the "Bob" is one of the largest and best-known wilderness areas in the country. Along with the Great Bear and Scapegoat wilderness areas, it forms a contiguous wildlands complex of more than 1.5 million acres that straddle the Continental Divide. Accessible only by trail, the complex offers fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, horseback riding and river floating. About 1,800 miles of trails. Call 406-758-5200 for more information.
Council Grove State Park
Located 10 miles west of Missoula, this State Park preserves the site where the Hellgate Treaty was signed in 1855, establishing the Flathead Indian Reservation. Call 406-542-5500 for more information.
Flathead Lake
Located between Kalispell and Polson this is the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. It is renowned for its fishing. Boat tours available from Somers (406-857-3202), Bigfork (406-837-5617), Polson (406-883-2448).
Frenchtown Pond State Park
Located 15 miles west of Missoula offering river and pond fishing. Call 406-542-5500 for more information.
Glacier National Park
Set in the northern Rockies, Glacier National Park joins Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada. Together they create the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park World Heritage Site. Going-to-the-Sun Road, a spectacular 52-mile highway through Glacier, crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass and traverses the towering Garden Wall. Glacier's gateway towns of East Glacier, West Glacier and St. Mary offer convenient stops for your car or yourself. Logan Pass normally opens mid-June and closes mid-October. Glacier has more than 700 miles of foot and horse trails. Call 406-888-7800 for more information.
Historical Museum at Fort Missoula
Explore western Montana history at the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula located on South Avenue. Call 406-728-3476 for more information.
Memorial Rose Garden
Enjoy more than 2,500 rose bushes that are maintained as a memorial to the casualties of World War 11 and Montana's Vietnam veterans.
Museum of Fine Arts/Paxton Gallery
Contemporary and historical visual arts on the University of Montana campus. Call 406-243-4970 for more information.
National Bison Range
Established in 1908 to protect the American bison, approximately 400-500 of the great shaggy animals roan nearly 19,000 acres of natural grassland. Other inhabitants are birds, whitetail and mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep and pronghorns. Self-guiding auto tours year-round. Visitor center. Fee when all drives are open. May to October. Call 406-644-2211 for more information.
Ninemile Remount Depot
From 1930 - 1953 this depot provided experienced packers and pack animals for firefighting and backcountry work projects through the northern Rockies. Visitor centers open daily, Memorial Day - Labor Day. Self-guiding tour. Call 406-626-5201 for more information.
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Wildlife Visitor Center
Missoula is home to this national wildlife group. Enjoy elk and natural history displays, Wildlife Theater, gift shop and art gallery. Call 406-523-4545 for more information.
Smokejumper Visitor Center
This Center is headquarters for the USDA Forest Service smokejumpers, located 7 miles west of town. Open Memorial Day - Labor Day. Off-season tours for large groups only and by appointment. Call 406-329-4934 for more information.
Snowbowl Summer Chairlift Ride
This popular ski area is 12 miles northwest of Missoula. Take a 22-minute ride to 7,000 feet then hike to the summit and ride the chair back down. Friday, Saturday and Sunday in July and August. Fee. Call 406-549-9777 for more information.