If you’ve never heard of “glamping,” you haven’t visited the Resort at Paws Up in Greenough, Montana, just outside of Missoula.Here in Big Sky Country, guests can enjoy the great outdoors effortlessly, and so did Peter when he visited to broadcast his radio show.
Read on to find some favorite indoor and outdoor hangouts around Missoula, Montana.
Casey Hackathorn, Outfitter, Missoulian Angler
For me, a perfect day in Missoula is a combination of outdoor activity in the mountains or on the rivers that surround us, and enjoyment of our city itself. Some safe bets include:Wade fishing at Rock Creek—it’s easy to find, has plenty of access, and offers blue-ribbon fly fishing for brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout.
Located to 20 miles east of Missoula, Rock Creek Road roughly follows the creek for its entire length. Be forewarned, after the first 10 miles the pavement ends and the gravel road is bumpy and narrow.
There is convenient access to scenic hiking and mountain biking right out of Missoula in the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area. With trails range from wide and nearly flat along Rattlesnake Creek to steep and challenging single track, there is something for everyone. Locals enjoy this backyard trail complex year-round.
Local adventures deserve local refreshments. Big Dipper Ice Cream makes fresh ice cream daily with rotating flavors and regular favorites. (Recent specials include pumpkin, “cold smoke,” and chipotle chocolate.) There is a reason why there’s always a line at the window.
The Kettlehouse Brewery’s tasting room is the perfect place to share a pint of fresh local brew with friends or meet some locals.
For a casual meal, try the Old Post Pub, a local favorite that features good burgers, daily specials and fish tacos that are tough to beat, as well as live music on Thursdays and Fridays.
Find more outdoor activities in our Adventure & Sports Travel section.
Monte Dolack, artist and owner of Monte Dolack Gallery
Missoula is known regionally for its writers, theater and arts, and the locals generally have free-spirited and creative personalities. The city is especially enriched by MAM, the Missoula Art Museum. Located in the heart of the historic downtown, the newly remodeled and expanded museum hosts more than 25 exhibitions from local and international artists every year.
The University of Montana campus is one of the prettiest in the West, sitting at the base of Mount Sentinel and the Clark Fork River. Many climb Mt. Sentinel everyday to view the city, its rivers and the surrounding mountain ranges.
Get more travel advice with our Ask the Locals Travel Guides.
The nearby riverfront trails connect the campus to the historic and vibrant downtown and its many shops, galleries and cafes. The Montana Museum of Art and Culture on the campus shows historic, contemporary and Montana regional art.
The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula focuses on the history of Western Montana including the Native Americans who inhabited the area prior to the coming of the emigrants in the mid-19th century. The museum features more than 25,000 objects and structures spread over 32 acres of land, including a school house and an old teepee burner (which was used to burn wood back in the day).
Downtown Missoula has a lot to offer with events and festivals taking place regularly. The well-attended Saturday farmers and craft market is spread through the downtown area with more than 100 vendors with live music, food and drinks. Take a ride on the Carousel on the river walk which was funded, built and carved by local craftsmen and citizens.
Also in the heart of downtown, The Wilma is a restored historic theater that presents film and live music as well as events such as the International Documentary Film Festival. Meanwhile, the Roxy Theater is home to the Wildlife Film Festival, which includes a wild parade each year and features films about the natural world throughout the year.
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Rick Bass, environmentalist and author of The Wild Marsh: Four Seasons at Home in Montana
Nearly every valley in Montana has an environmental group working to help protect what is great about this state. Locally, Missoula is home to several grassroots organizations—including the Yaak Valley Forest Council and the Clark Fork Coalition—which are doing great work at the watershed level to protect and restore open space and wild country and clean water.
Visitors can reap the benefits when exploring the Kootenai National Forest in northwest Montana and the Clark Fork River which flows northwest through Missoula and toward the Idaho border.
As for favorite restaurants, foodies should definitely check out the newly renovated Scotty’s Table located in the old Wilma Theater, which serves New American cuisine in a cozy, bistro environment.
Restaurants also abound along the Clark Fork River, including fine dining at Red Bird and Pearl Café & Bakery which serves up “country fare with a city flair.”
There are several other bakeries in the area that are worth a visit, such as Le Petit Outre & Breads, which makes more than 50 breads and pastries daily; and Bernice’s Bakery, where guests can sit down for sandwiches and pastries, and unique hard rolls stuffed with filling such as spicy beans and cheese or artichoke hearts and feta.
Looking for more great places to grab a bite? You’ll find an excellent Missoula option in Locavores on the Loose: American Gourmet Grocery Stores.
Missoula is also home to several independent bookstores including: Shakespeare & Co on 3rd Street West, Fact & Fiction, located both downtown and on the University campus, and The Book Exchange which has a good selection of reduced-price new and used books, with an emphasis on local Montana authors.These folks and more will be guests on Peter’s radio show broadcasting from Montana. Click here to check out all the guests.
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