Missoula is a great place to visit. It is located in an old, glacial lakebed, which is now cut by the Clark Fork River. The Bitterroot River feeds into the Clark Fork on the Southwest edge of town; the famed Big Blackfoot River meets the Clark Fork just east of town. Numerous mountain ranges surround our town. We are minutes away from fishing, skiing, and mountain biking, and floating.
Missoula is home to the University of Montana. The school keeps us young and vital, with the many events it sponsors and the culture it has to offer. The famed "Griz" is our mascot, and you can visit him on the oval in the center of the campus. The town is packed full of art galleries and museums. We have numerous micro breweries, a few wineries, and plenty of deluxe and diverse places to dine. You can hang out and talk politics, take in film festivals, float the river, or shoot pool. It's commonplace to chat with a local author about his or her latest book.
The Northern Region headquarters for the U.S. Forest Service is centered here. Missoula is also home to many entities conserving our way of life; The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Clark Fork River Coalition, and Adventure Cycling to name a few.
Missoula is 3 hours south of Glacier National Park and 3-and-a-half hours west of Yellowstone National Park. It is surrounded by national forests and a handful of wilderness areas.