Missoula

Missoula occupies a valley where the Clark Fork River exits a narrow canyon into a broad floodplain, creating a city that feels both enclosed by mountains and opened by the river. The University of Montana, founded in 1893, has consistently produced literary talent Richard Hugo, James Welch, and the MFA program's long list of distinguished graduates have established Missoula as a town that takes books seriously. Fact: Missoula has the most bookshops per capita of any city in the United States. The Clark Fork River through downtown supports one of the best urban fly-fishing corridors in the American West native westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout inhabit reaches walkable from downtown hotels. The Rattlesnake Wilderness and National Recreation Area begins at the city limits to the northeast, providing 60,000 acres of roadless wilderness with 30+ miles of creek canyon accessible from a trailhead 5 minutes from downtown. The Rattlesnake trail system is one of the most used wilderness areas in Montana. Brennan's Wave in the Clark Fork is a constructed surf wave that draws kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders in the city center, creating a unique urban outdoor spectacle. The 5-mile paved Riverfront Trail connects downtown to the Hellgate Canyon river corridor.