There’s nothing like a nice stroll on a beautiful sunny day in the Garden City. With spring right around the corner and the sun beaming down in recent days, it is perfect to spend some time immersed in Missoula’s local nature.
Missoula has over 59 miles of city trails offering dozens of options for walks, runs, hikes, and bike rides. When you’re looking to get some fresh air and reconnect with nature, but don’t have time for a strenuous hike or exhausting run, a leisure walk is the perfect option. Lucky for you, Missoula is overflowing with locations for strolls!
Starting with a local favorite, the Greenough Park trail runs along the Rattlesnake Creek which weaves through 42 acres of forested paths. The colorful trees and the crystal clear water provides a beautiful and tranquil walking spot. Because this is a popular spot, you are likely to see a handful of people on your visit, but there are a variety of routes. The park features a paved path as well as a dirt path offering various river access points. The trails do not have much incline or decline, staying level for the majority of the path.
Another popular area is Pineview Park. This 1-mile loop also follows the Rattlesnake Creek and the amount of large and tall trees in the area offers nice shade from the sun. The trees, flowers, and plants are gorgeous and it is very common to see a variety of wildlife during your walk. This trail connects to various spots in the surrounding neighborhood, having many access points. It is common to see a few other walkers on this trail. This path is unpaved but mostly flat, narrowing at a couple points.
Lincoln Wood Trailhead is just up Lincoln Road in the Rattlesnake and is beautiful year round. This trail is also along the Rattlesnake Creek and has many different paths you can take. The area is full of stunning nature and wildlife and is perfect for a sunny day stroll. You are likely to see a couple of other people on your walk. The path isn’t paved however it is very even, level and wide.
If you are looking for something a bit more central and paved, the Riverfront trail is the perfect option. The paved path leads all around the Clark Fork River, Caras Park, under the bridges, down by the river, behind the carousel and Dragon Hollow, by Brennan’s Wave, and near downtown. Since this spot is more centrally located, there is less up close nature, but beautiful views can be seen along the way such as the river, the M and the L mountains, and it’s a great sunset viewing area.
The Riverfront trail connects to the Kim Williams trail nearby. This trail stretches from East Missoula, all the way to the University of Montana campus, to the College student living. Many college students take this route on nice days to get to school. It wraps under the bridge by the Clark Fork River on the opposite side of Caras Park. The walk features lots of beautiful nature and detours near many downtown shops. If you continue a very long way it takes you way down by the Canyon River Golf Course in East Missoula. The path goes between paved and dirt paths but it is pretty level.
If you are looking for a further adventure, Maclay Flat Nature Trail is up Blue Mountain. This area has many options for walking trails following the Bitterroot River. There’s many open fields, great for bird watching, and when the weather warms up there are many great swimming areas. The spring is a great opportunity to see the tall aspen trees bursting with life. This is a less popular area so it is less likely to see people on your trip. The trails are level, flat, and wide and the wildlife is present year-round.
Don’t hesitate to get out and about and visit these walking trails in the upcoming weeks. Each trail is easily customizable for your preferred length and incline with a variety of options at each location. With all the stress and hard work going into school in recent months, it’s great to take a moment for self care and fresh air.
