Missoula County Parks, Trails & Open Lands

Missoula County Parks, Trails & Open Lands Our program manages 91 parks and more than 40 miles of shared use paths throughout Missoula County.

Check it out: A place to rest, take in the view, and enjoy the park! We’re excited to share that eight new benches have ...
09/16/2026

Check it out: A place to rest, take in the view, and enjoy the park!

We’re excited to share that eight new benches have been installed at Big Sky Park! These new seating areas provide more opportunities for visitors to pause, relax, enjoy the scenery, and take a break while exploring the park.

A big thank-you to everyone who helps make our parks welcoming and enjoyable for all. Be sure to take a seat and enjoy the view next time you visit!

Big news! Missoula County approved $250K in Open Space Bond funding to help protect approximately 242 acres in the lower...
09/14/2026

Big news! Missoula County approved $250K in Open Space Bond funding to help protect approximately 242 acres in the lower Blackfoot River area. The project, now known as Bonner Ridge, was made possible through a partnership that included $1M in support from the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative and additional contributions from Five Valleys Land Trust.

The lower Blackfoot is an important wildlife movement corridor, allowing animals to travel across a much larger landscape. To the north, residential development has increasingly fragmented habitat and created more opportunities for wildlife to encounter roads, homes, and other hazards. Protecting land on the south side of the river helps maintain a safer route through the valley. That connectivity is part of a much bigger conservation vision of maintaining an interconnected system of wild lands and waters stretching along the Rocky Mountains from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem north toward Canada's Yukon Territory.

Now that it's protected, new owners Five Valleys Land Trust, will develop a management plan for the property that balances recreation with the wildlife values on the property. Until that plan is finalized, the property will remain closed to the public. Public access for hiking, biking and hunting will be managed on the existing roadbed through the property. The property is adjacent to other conserved FVLT property “B Hill”, Checkerboard, LLC lands owned by TNC and Milltown State Park.

Photo by Tanner Rauk

Participate in the self-guided 2026 Missoula Open Space Adventure Tour! Visit selected open space properties, check-in a...
09/12/2026

Participate in the self-guided 2026 Missoula Open Space Adventure Tour! Visit selected open space properties, check-in and answer a trivia question and/or take some fun selfies or group photos on the tour to win prizes. The properties showcase some of the voter-approved open space bond projects that have been protected over the years with your support!

The week culminates with a community celebration on National Public Lands Day at the Grand Re-opening of the Rock Creek Confluence property on Saturday, September 26 from 3-6PM, where you can experience trails, nature, rivers, speakers, food and beverages. This adventure tour is hosted by Missoula County, City of Missoula and Five Valleys Land Trust. We can’t wait to see you out on the land!

Visit the link in our bio to participate (or at https://arcg.is/K41Ce0)

🚧 Parking Lot Closure This Thursday & Friday 🚧A quick heads-up for park visitors: the Big Sky Park Tower Street parking ...
09/08/2026

🚧 Parking Lot Closure This Thursday & Friday 🚧

A quick heads-up for park visitors: the Big Sky Park Tower Street parking lot will be closed Thursday and Friday while crews repave the lot.

The park and trails will remain accessible, but please plan ahead and park only in designated pull-outs during the closure. Do not park along roadways or in areas that could block access for other visitors or emergency vehicles.

Thank you for your patience while we make improvements to the park! We appreciate your help keeping the area safe and accessible for everyone.

Happy Labor Day! This Labor Day, we’re celebrating the people who help make our parks, trails, and open spaces special—f...
09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day!

This Labor Day, we’re celebrating the people who help make our parks, trails, and open spaces special—from the staff who care for these places every day to the volunteers, partners, and community members who lend their time and energy.

We hope you enjoy the long weekend, get outside, and take a moment to appreciate the people and places that make our community great. Happy Labor Day!

Slow & Say Hello: A Trail Etiquette MovementWhether you're hiking, biking, or horseback riding, the "Slow & Say Hello" c...
09/04/2026

Slow & Say Hello: A Trail Etiquette Movement

Whether you're hiking, biking, or horseback riding, the "Slow & Say Hello" campaign is all about fostering respect and safety on shared use trails. Originating from the Trail Partners Foundation, this initiative encourages trail users to slow down and greet fellow adventurers with a simple "hello", wave, or bell ring - a small gesture that promotes awareness, kindness, and safer trail experiences.

In Missoula County, many parks and trails, including Big Sky Park and Marshall Mountain, host a mix of trail users. Embracing "Slow & Say Hello" helps reduce conflicts, enhances safety, and protects our natural resources.

Let's make local trails friendlier and safer for everyone. Next time you're out on the trail, slow down, say hello, and share the trail thoughtfully and safely.

As we head into the fall months, you may notice more wildlife activity in and around our parks, especially as bears prep...
09/02/2026

As we head into the fall months, you may notice more wildlife activity in and around our parks, especially as bears prepare for winter.

Bears enter a period of hyperphagia in the fall, meaning they eat and forage much more than usual to build up energy reserves for the winter. This can make human food, fruit trees, and garbage especially attractive.

Whether you’re visiting a park, recreating outdoors, camping, or enjoying time in your backyard, please be mindful of how you store food and dispose of trash. Secure food and other attractants, use available trash receptacles, and pack out your trash when needed. When recreating in bear country, stay alert, carry bear spray, and know how to use it.

Let's all do our part to keep our communities and local wildlife safe.

08/31/2026

The Missoula County Wildfire Mitigation Program and the U.S. Forest Service will host a Pop-Up Wildfire-Prepared Homes Workshop for Missoula-area residents on Monday, Aug. 31.

The workshop will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Missoula County Elections Center, 140 N. Russell St. Staff from both agencies will be on hand to provide information and guide participants on what they need to do to protect their homes from wildfires. Participants can also schedule free risk assessments for their property at the workshop.

The event will include a presentation from wildfire experts on home preparedness and evacuation planning, followed by an interactive activity. Snacks and refreshments will be provided, and participants can enter a raffle for a chance to win prizes.

The Missoula County Wildfire Mitigation Program helps county residents with free wildfire risk assessments as well as community-wide wildfire planning.

More information about the program is available online: https://www.missoulacounty.gov/departments/office-of-emergency-management/preparing-for-wildfires/

08/28/2026

If you've seen this guy out in parks and on sidewalks and trails throughout the county recently: His name is Dax, and he’s not a security robot — his job is to collect measurements of sidewalks, trails and other outdoor features to support Missoula County’s ADA self-evaluation.

The cameras that Dax uses stay pointed at the pavement, not at people, to collect field measurements. No personal data is collected or stored by Dax.

This information will be used by LifeQuest, the County’s ADA consultant, as part of the County’s federally required ADA self-evaluation and transition planning.

The sidewalk grades and other accessibility measurements he collects will help the County understand where barriers exist, prioritize improvements over time, and plan responsibly for future accessibility projects.

Have you ever visited LaLonde Ranch Historic Park?Located off of I-90 on West Harrier Drive, LaLonde Ranch in Missoula i...
08/28/2026

Have you ever visited LaLonde Ranch Historic Park?

Located off of I-90 on West Harrier Drive, LaLonde Ranch in Missoula is a historic site that represents the valley’s early agricultural roots. Established in the late 19th century by French-Canadian settler Adam LaLonde, what started as a small log cabin on land acquired from the Northern Pacific Railway led to an additional brick house for Adam, his wife Lucy Wells Bisson, and their eight children. The ranch was expanded to 360 acres and specialized in cattle, hogs, and orchards. After Adam’s death in 1918, the ranch remained in family hands until 1944, and Missoula County purchased it in 1991, designating it as the LaLonde Ranch Historic Park. Today it stands as a symbol of early agriculture in the Missoula Valley, and houses local community organization Farm Connect, who uses portions of the brick house as office space and provides hands-on training and workshops for community members that want to know more about both early and modern farming and ranching.

Address

131 East Main Street
Missoula, MT
59802

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+14062584657

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