Visit to Missoula (1 Viewer)

[80seriesnut]

The family and I will be heading out to Missoula around the end of July next here to check out the area for possible relocation for my wife's job. I was wondering what we could expect that time of year. We would like to try to camp to keep cost lower. Could anyone give me any tips on things to check out/do at that time of year.

Thanks

 

[brew8]

Glacier nat Park, going to the sun Highway, Seely Lake, fishing on Rock Creek, LoLo pass to the salmon River, The Bighole valley, Flathead Lake, all of the weird dudes around Thompson Falls, Just a few.

 

[landroamer]

If your wanting to check out some trails you might pick up Willie worthy's book on western montana trails, http://www.montana4x4trails.com/there are the usuall KOA type campgrounds in and around missoula, Lolo Hot springs has a nice camp ground but you will be about 30 miles out of missoula,
there are a lot of area's not campgrounds you can camp. Let us know when you are coming, there are a handfull of us mudders here in the area.

 

[80seriesnut]

Thanks for the info guys. I just put in for my vacation which is for the 19th-28th of July 2013. The plan is we would leave here around 3 or 4 pm on Friday the 19th and be there around the same time Saturday. I will post up when the time gets closer. Again thanks for the info.

 

[landroamer]

Hope to meet you and the family. you have kids, I got 4 rugrats running around and a couple of other mudders here have kids. oh and a wifey too.

 

[80seriesnut]

Wife and 2 kids. The son will be 5 in January and the daughter will be 2 in June. My wife will be finishing up her training in 2014 and we are starting to look at places for relocation. A lady that works with my wife is from your part of Montana and showed my wife pictures of the western Montana area and my wife just thought it was amazing. My wife and I have lived in the area that we are in our whole life. Any ways I hope to get the chance to meet some Mudders while out that way

 

[landroamer]

Well, montana is a beautifull place, I work in the woods every day, get paid to four wheel up to the job, cant get any better, I see some amazing country, I see wolves,grizzlies,mountain lions,elk,deer, pretty cool, of course most people even in montana dont get to see all that.... but regaurdless its a pretty place,
hope to meet you when you come, if you need any info ahead of time let me know and I will try to help.

 

[TeeDiggs]

I would echo the Flathead Lake area... new here myself and still trying to explore. I hear Glacier is great, have yet to make it up there though, d'oh!

Sounds like a great trip you have planned, and I'm sure the kids will love it.

 

[80seriesnut]

We just did a 2190 mile trip this past June. We went from Iowa city IA to cheyenne WY then up to Thermopolis WY. From Thermopolis we headed back across South Dakota. I have to say that before doing that trip I was a little concerned about the cost of gas but the whole trip only took us 700 dollars in gas. The only problem I had was I had a u joint get kinda bad and couldn't get any shop to fix it. I stopped at one shop in WY there were 4 empty bays and the guy told me he was busy and to come back the next day.

 

[landroamer]

maybe he was cleaning his teeth,,,,,,

 

[3_puppies]

maybe he was cleaning his tooth,,,,,,

fixed it for ya!

 

[landroamer]

Ha, too funny, Thanks Paul, I needed that.

 

[Black Rhino 13]

Hey, I'm a Missoula Mudder too with wife and two little girls age 5 and 7.

Like Landroamer said, there's a KOA right in town by the REI and Costco. You can tent camp for free on USFS land and there is plenty within a reasonable distance from town. Reasonable distance by Montana standards, that is. Time/distance can be deceiving here.

Within 100 -/+ miles, there are ghost towns, rivers to raft/float, hot springs (commercial and natural), trails to be driven, national forests, all-down-hill bicycle path: the Hiawatha Trail, Lake Como, dirt mountain passes like Skalkaho, which also has the Gem Mountain Saphire Mine, tons and tons of wilderness, and so on.

In Missoula, there is the Carousel/ Dragon's Hollow, Currents Indoor Water Park, Splash Montana outdoor water park, Fort Missoula, Children's Museum, riverside trails, parks, more parks, hiking up to the M, floating the Clark Fork River through town, floating the Blackfoot river just out of town, fishing, music at Bonner Park on Wednesday evenings, and several breweries, etc...

Check out the Special Editions here like "Best of Missoula" and "Explorer".

http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/

It should be beautiful in July. I would consider one of the camping areas on the Blackfoot river on the Blackfoot corridor. That might be farther from town than you'd prefer though. On Google maps, it's called Johnsrud Park Road as it comes off of Hwy 200.

 

[80seriesnut]

This is all really good info guys. I really appreciate all the advise. Thanks

 

[76 Land Bruiser]

Another Zoo-town cruiser here! I have a wife and 4 kids too. Girl 5, boy 8, boy 12, girl 14. We all need to start meeting up once a month. Seems like a lot of us are with kids and wife and cruisers! Lol

 

[landroamer]

I agree, seems like we all keep saying it, I think we just need to do this, I am gonna talk to the wifey.....

 

[Black Rhino 13]

Late to the party again, but I agree. The local 4x4 (Jeep) club may not make it. It's limping right now. There are enough Land Cruisers here now in Missoula on 'Mud that we should be able to do something informally now and then unless we're all just truly reclusive. Seems like Bruiser, Roamer and I have 10 school age kids between us. Most of the rest of the guys are single or have grown children. If we pushed out to other Toyota models we should definitely be able to get something going. Either way, sounds like Feb. 2nd will be a test run.

 

[3_puppies]

Feb 2 I can't make it, apparently my wife's nephew's MT reception is more important.
We went to the wedding last fall.

Paul

 

[76 Land Bruiser]

Happens man, I am running to butte mid week to get my wife a New dog so the weekend is clear, barely dodged the bullet myself. This will be just the first of many. My Fj40s has been down since 99, and now it running again gotta make up for lost time!