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With Thousands of Miles of Trails,
You'll Want to Bring Your Bike Missoula is Western Montana's largest city, with amenities such as a symphony, live theater, museums, galleries and a Division I-AA University. (It's also one of America's premier bicycling towns.) But it's not all city-the 33,000 acre Rattlesnake National Recreation Area is just part of the wild and wonderful land around Missoula. The historic downtown, surrounding attractions such as Montana Snowbowl Ski Area and nearby towns Meeting and convention attendees can escape to numerous outdoor attractions while staying in the Missoula Valley. Summer Escapes Winter Escapes Downtown Missoula No place like it anywhere else. On the Clark Fork River next to several parks and scenic hiking and biking trails. A collection of specialty shops, stores, restaurants, lounges, art galleries, antique stores, and service businesses. Old time flavor, with a new fell. The city's finest dining opportunities are here, as well as a selection of lively night spots and bars. Culture can be found on every corner: art galleries, cinema, theatre, and live music.
To the locals, it's simply known as "The Park." And once you've been here, you'll know why; Glacier National Park is a place that shouldn't be described, but experienced. Inside this 1.2 million acres of magic, you'll find jutting peaks, 50 glaciers, more than 200 lakes, 700 miles of trails, myriad wildlife and more. Glacier National Park is a "Heritage Park," one of only seven parks on earth to receive such a designation. The Park is easily accessible through the gateway communities of the Flathead Valley on the West side, or the Blackfeet Territory on the East side. Any drive here must start with the Going-To-The-Sun Road, open most years from June to October between West Glacier and St. Mary. This 55-mile road lives up to its name, climbing to the apex of the Continental Divide at Logan Pass after passing through many dramatic, glacier-carved valleys. Chances are, you'll also see plenty of wildlife-bighorn sheep, mountain goats, deer, elk, moose, bear and others are plentiful within the Park. Other activities include guided hikes, horseback trips and boat tours. You may want to spend a few days exploring; if you'd like to stay over-night, there are 1,000 front-country campsites available on a first-come, first-serve basis, as well as six inns and lodges (call 602/207-6000 for reservations). Lake McDonald Lodge and Many Glacier Hotel, both built in the early 1900s, offer glimpses of the past. At East Glacier, backtrack on Hwy. 2 to Essex and the Walton Goat Lick. Up to 70 goats scramble over this natural salt lick's rugged terrain. Finally, return to West Glacier, where you can whitewater raft, take a helicopter ride
On Hwy. 89, your first stop on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation is the town of Browning. Drop by the Museum of the Plains Indians (406/338-7406) to see the creative achievements of North American artists and craftspeople. While you're here, be sure to fish one of the Reservation's many lakes-among the best in the world for trout (tribal permit required). You might hook 10-pound rainbows, as well as browns and brookies. After catching a few fish, catch Hwy. 2 and head toward Cut Bank. If you're a Lewis & Clark buff, you'll love this area. About 12 miles outside of Browning is Camp Disappointment, the northernmost point of the Lewis & Clark expedition. Near Cut Bank, Two Medicine Fight Site is the location of the only Indian casualty of the journey. Cut Bank's Lewis & Clark Days include a parade, Lewis & Clark costume contest, and more. Also in Cut Bank, the Glacier County Historical Museum features the rich history of the area's oil and railroad industries; admission is free. Nearby, step back in time and visit one of the area's Hutterite colonies. Like the Amish, these people have formed self-sustaining old-world farm communities.
Water, water everywhere. In the Seeley Swan Valley, you'll be treated to hundreds of crystal-clear alpine lakes perfect for boating, swimming, fishing and just plain relaxing. Flanked by the Mission Mountains on the West and the Swan Mountains on the East, this is also a valley of plentiful pine forests. Part of this area's peaceful solitude comes from its neighbors: the Bob Marshall, Great Bear and Scapegoat Wilderness Areas, which combine to form 1.5 million acres of protected forest. While the adjacent wilderness areas are only accessible by trail, the Seeley Swan area is accessible by various kinds of transportation: car, bike, boat, snowmobile and others. Start at the valley's south end on Highway 83, where the major lakes are Salmon Lake and Seeley Lake. Four miles north of Seeley Lake is a unique wildlife viewing opportunity: the Clearwater Canoe Trail. Put your canoe, raft or boat in the Clearwater River for a relaxed four-mile trip. Just 12 miles south of Swan Lake, Old Squeezer Loop Road is an Audubon-recognized birdwatching area. In this small creek bottom, you'll find two short-loop trails and wildlife viewing benches. How to get there: across from the State Lands Headquarters, take Goat Creek Road east for 1.5 miles. At the fork, turn right. In Winter, the Valley has a network of ski trails for nordic skiing. For snowmobilers, there are 230 miles of groomed trails, and many more miles of backcountry trails.
The Bitterroot Mountains run along the western edge of this valley, the Sapphire Mountains along the eastern edge, and the Bitterroot River right through the middle. The valley opens into large plains with historic towns (including the first white settlement in the state) and working ranches. It's also the gateway to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, and a corridor to Yellowstone National Park as you leave Glacier Country. Highway 93 is the main artery that runs through this valley. Head south through beautiful scenery and the towns of Lolo and Florence until you come to the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge (take the East Side Highway to Stevensville). Here, you'll see nesting osprey and other wildlife. Once in Stevensville, check out St. Mary's Mission and Fort Owen State Monument, site of the first permanent white settlement in Montana. Continue south on Highway 93 to Hamilton, the hub of the Bitterroot Valley. This charming town has "Copper King" Marcus Daly's mansion, a 42-room home with seven Italian marble fireplaces. Downtown Hamilton is home to the Ravalli County Museum, housed in the original county courthouse, built in 1900. Farther south, you'll pass through Darby (known for its cross-country skiing and big-game hunting) on the way to Lost Trail Pass Ski Area and Chief Joseph Pass. Both of these passes are steeped in history; they were used by Lewis & Clark on their historic expedition, then later by Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Nation as they fled from the U.S. Cavalry to Canada.
This area encompasses the southern half of Flathead Lake and a natural valley formed by the 10,000-foot peaks of the Mission Mountains. The Mission Valley also includes the Flathead Indian Reservation, which is home to the Salish, Kootenai and Pend d'Oreille peoples. Learn more about Native American culture at the "People's Center" in Pablo (406/675-0160). In Polson, you can go jump in the lake. Rent a sailboat, canoe, speed boat or jet ski for some fun on Flathead Lake, or try a lake cruise on one of the tour boats. Then, head south on 93 to find two wildlife refuges: Pablo National Wildlife Refuge is just west of Pablo, while the Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge is a few miles south of Ronan. The Ninepipe Refuge is home to more than 180 species of waterfowl and other birds. Farther south on 93, you'll come to the St. Ignatius Mission. This church, established in 1854, has 58 impressive murals inside on its walls and ceilings. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that the man who painted them all-Brother Joseph Carignano-was a member of the kitchen staff with no formal art training.Finally, turn west onto Highway 200 at Ravalli and head to Moiese. There, you'll find a herd of about 400 American Buffalo at the National Bison Range, as well as elk, antelope, mule deer, bighorn sheep and whitetail deer. During the Summer, a self-guided tour of the Range is available. It takes two to three hours, and costs $4 per car. If you prefer, a shorter half-hour tour is also available.
The University of Montana Begin with a tour of Missoula. Along the banks of the Clark Fork River, you'll find well-kept walking trails. Pick up a map for a self-guided City Circle Tour at the Convention and Visitors Bureau at 825 E. Front (Call 800/526-3465). On your walk, drop by Caras Park for a ride on the Missoula Carousel, an old-world carousel built and maintained by volunteers. The Art Museum of Missoula, at 335 N. Pattee, offers a full collection of Northwest art, as well as changing exhibitions. Call 406/728-0447. Across town, the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula has details on Western Montana history. The Smokejumper Center next to the Missoula Airport is the largest smokejumper center in America. The Wildlife Visitors Center at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (406/523-4545) features art, displays, and world record elk mounts. Outside the city, the Ninemile Remount Depot and Ranger Station details the efforts of the pack animals and firefighters of the 30's and 40's. And the ghost town of Garnet, one of the best preserved in the state, is just 22 miles east of Bonner on I-90.
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outdoor escapes | cultural arts | dinning & night life | map of missoula | transportation
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