Come for the “I do”—Stay for the big sky view.
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Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is 2.5 hour drive from Missoula. Depart Missoula and head northeast on Highway 200, then north on Highway 83 through the Seeley-Swan Valley—a quieter, more scenic route. Enter the park early via West Glacier Entrance.Drive the legendary Going-to-the-Sun Road (vehicle reservation will likely be required). Stop at Logan Pass – Hike the Hidden Lake Overlook trail (3 miles round trip) for alpine meadows and mountain goats. Continue east to St. Mary Lake – Snap a photo at Wild Goose Island Overlook. Optional hike: St. Mary Falls & Virginia Falls (3.6 miles round trip). Picnic lunch with glacier-fed lake views. You can fly out of Kalispell at the Glacier International Airport. It is small, but well-connected, servicing Delta, United, American, Alaska, Allegiant, and more.
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Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is 4.5 hours away from Missoula. Depart Missoula and head east on I-90. Enter Yellowstone early via the West Entrance. See Grand Prismatic Spring – Hike to the overlook via the Fairy Falls trail for a rainbow-colored view. Continue on to see Old Faithful – to catch an eruption, then explore the Upper Geyser Basin. Keep an eye out for Daisy Geyser to see where PJ proposed to me. August will likely be prime time for animals, so look out for bears, wolves,elk, coyotes, bison, and more. Make sure to get to the park early to dodge crowds. If you plan to spend several days here, I would recommend buying plane tickets out of Bozeman International Airport, which is a 1.5 hour drive from Yellowstone National Park. If possible, try to stop by Chico Hot Springs for a quick soak!
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CSKT Bison Range
The CSKT Bison Range is a 50 minute drive from Missoula. It is a historical wildlife conservation area home to 350 bison. It was originally founded in 1908 as the National Bison Range on land belonging to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT). In recognition of their historical claim to both the land and the bison herd, the Bison Range was officially restored to the CSKT by Congress in 2020. As of 2022, the Bison Range is now fully owned and managed by the CSKT Natural Resource Department.
The Bison Range is a self-directed driving tour with two scenic drives. The primary drive is Red Sleep Drive, a 2 hour, 19 mile loop that goes up and over Red Sleep Mountain. It is only open during the summer (May-Oct) and has two walking trails. The second drive is Prairie Drive, which is a 14 mile drive. Prairie drive goes along the scenic Mission Creek and is usually the best place to spot bison, elk, deer, and more. A Day pass is $20 per vehicle.
Our Guide to Missoula
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Hit the Party Float!
Put in at White Trash Beach, a.k.a Sharon Fishing Acess in Bonner. Float back into town and put out once you reach town. This is about a 4 hour float, be sure to stop and play a round of TROUT. Most shops in town provide tubes that you can buy. You can also rent a paddleboard from most rafting stores in town.
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See a concert at the Kettlehouse Ampitheater
Nestled along the Blackfoot River in Bonner, Montana, the KettleHouse Amphitheater is where music meets mountain magic. Concerts here are a blast, and the beer is brewed on site. Hellgate Honey is a personal favorite! The lineup will be posted at a later date, so make sure to check back!
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Hike the "M"
This is a Missoula classic. The M Trail at the University of Montana is a steep ¾ mile hike that includes 13 switchbacks. Hike to the top to see beautiful views of the city! You can park for free in a parking lot right at the trail entrance; the link for that is provided below. The trails are dog friendly, as well.
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Food and Drinks
Some of our favorites include: Plonk, Montgomery Distillery, Top Hat, The Tamarack, El Camino, Biga Pizza, Cranky Sams, The Highlander, The Gild (retro arcade bar), Stave and Hoop, The Thomas Meagher Bar, The Old Post, Brasserie Porte Rouge, Draught Works, Western Cider (food truck is generally outside), and Tagliare Delicatessen (killer sandwiches!)
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Breakfast and Coffee!
Our favorites include: The Trough, Paul’s Pancake House, Ruby’s, Funk It, Cafe Mimosa, The Old Post, Market on Front, Clyde’s Coffee, Bernice’s Bakery, and Wheat Montana!
Missoula is famous for its coffee shacks as well, you can find these all over town.
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Farmers Market + Other Events
There is always an abundance of things to do in Missoula. Whether it be concerts, paddle-board yoga, music festivals, beer festivals, or other markets; there is something for everyone! There is a local farmers market that happens every Saturday that lasts until noon! Provided below is a link to all Missoula events.
