MISSOULA & BITTERROOT VALLEY

If you like your outdoors served alongside the funky energy of a college town, look no farther than Missoula. Locals and alums from far and wide enjoy football Saturdays at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, just upstream from where kayakers surf Brennan’s Wave on the Clark Fork River. Wintery weekends mean a trip to Snowbowl, or perhaps a perfectly frothed cappuccino at one of the city’s many local coffee shops to refuel while Christmas shopping downtown.

The Bitterroot Valley extends southward from Missoula, with eight charming small towns lining this scenic stretch of Route 93. Life is a little quieter here, but these towns are growing and thriving, too, thanks to their deep community roots, their incredible location between the Selway-Bitterroot and AnacondaPintler Wilderness areas, and their proximity to the opportunities and economy of Missoula.

MISSOULA & THE BITTERROOT

MISSOULA

HAMILTON

If you like your outdoors served alongside the funky energy of a college town, look no farther

Biking the Bitterroot

The Bitterroot Valley Trail is 50 Miles of Biking Fun

Decades of work to build a bike trail from Missoula to Hamilton paid off in 2016, when workers laid asphalt for the final eight-mile section from Lolo to Missoula. Now, cyclists can clip in at the north end of the trail in the Old Sawmill District of Missoula and enjoy a scenic, mostly downhill ride through Lolo, Florence, Stevensville, and Victor, ending south of Hamilton near the Angler’s Roost campground.

The trail runs between the rugged Bitterroot Mountains and the rolling Sapphire Mountains, providing beautiful views in all directions. When you need a break from the bike, throw in a line at one of the fishing access points along the Bitterroot River, including Travelers’ Rest State Park in Lolo, a historic Lewis and Clark expedition campsite. Meet your sag wagon and pitch a tent for the night at the Chief Looking Glass campground outside Florence, after grabbing dinner and a craft beer at the Backyard Tap House. If you’ve got energy to spare, take a detour on the Stevensville River Trail into the town that grew from a Catholic mission into Montana’s first permanent settlement. Wrap up your journey with the shops and restaurants in charming downtown Hamilton or tour copper king Marcus Daly’s incredible 24,000 square foot mansion on the northeast end of town.

A River Runs Through It

Filmmaking in Missoula

Norman Maclean’s timeless 1976 novella, “A River Runs Through It,” is a beautiful and heart-wrenching tale of family and fly fishing, set in and around early 20th century Missoula. The 1992 movie, based on the book, starred Brad Pitt and earned four Academy Award nominations and one win, for Best Cinematography. The movie so perfectly captured the joy and timeless beauty found in Montana’s rivers that the fly fishing industry enjoyed a 30 percent bump in nonresident fishing licenses the year after it was released, and interest in the sport has remained high. The movie influenced real estate and tourism as well; the Montana Department of Commerce cited it as a priceless influence on the state’s economy in the 1990s and beyond.

In the nearly three decades since “A River Runs Through It” premiered, the film industry has continued to grow in Montana. It contributed $48 million to the state’s economy between January 2019 and June 2020, with Missoula sharing in this booming industry. The popular TV drama “Yellowstone” moved its filming from Utah to Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley in 2020. Shadowcast Partners, a Georgiabased studio company, is planning to build a $19 million Montana Media Hub, with 120,000 square feet of film and television production space, in the Missoula Technology Park north of the city’s airport.

Home Sweat Home

Ideas for incorporating workout space at home

Since the pandemic shifted our exercise routines, many of us have come to appreciate the upside of working out at home: you can’t accidentally forget your shoes, showering afterwards is never awkward, and erasing the drive to the gym makes a little more time for other things, whether that’s a couple extra sets of curls or a quick postworkout nap.

But there’s nothing motivating about a crowded, cluttered space. The vibe of a workout area is just as important as the sets and reps that take place in it, and a welcoming space will definitely see more use. Shannon Callaghan, of Missoulabased Shannon Callaghan Interior Design, says that simplicity is best. “Eliminate all clutter and make your space workout-specific, so you have enough room to move and breathe and do your exercises,” Callaghan says. “If you can keep your space minimalist, with just your mat and weights or spin bike, it helps you focus on being in that space as your gym time. You can tell your family, ‘I’m going to the gym for an hour,’ and they know to leave you alone. Also, pick a room that has a window, if you can, because fresh air is really important while you exercise.”