Missoula Area

Honored with a Playful City USA award, Missoula offers plenty to discover. For a fun day in Zootown, consider any of these experiences the whole family will love.

Whitewater Rafting Multiple outfitters lead trips on the Blackfoot, Bitterroot and Clark Fork rivers. Flatwater tours cater to little ones; older kids will love the bouncier Class II, III and IV rapids.

Real-Life Action Heroes Tour the smokejumper base in Missoula to learn about the jump gear and aircraft used to fight wilderness forest fires.

A Hike for the Whole Family Head south of Missoula (past a Lewis and Clark campsite at Travelers' Rest State Park) to Blodgett Canyon, an easy trail that passes soaring cliffs and a smokejumper memorial.

No gear? No problem! The friendly Trail Head store in downtown Missoula rents everything you might need, including tents, sleeping bags, coolers, fly rods and more. You can reserve gear online before you go.

Other big hits with the little ones include:

• Riding on A Carousel for Missoula downtown, or playing at Dragon Hollow Playground
• Exploring science at the spectrUM Discovery Area
• Plunging down a slide or float a lazy river at Splash Montana
• Devouring local ice cream at Sweet Peaks or Big Dipper

200 square miles in one lake? Believe it! Go sailing, paddleboarding or plain old swimming at Flathead lake, the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Great Lakes. The Flathead Lake Lodge dude ranch makes a great home base. In summer, be sure to stop at a roadside stand to try the local cherries.

Here are just three (of many) reasons to check out what the Blackfeet call the Backbone of the World:

1. 175 mountains, 762 lakes and more than 1,000,000 acres
2. Mountain goats and bighorn sheep spotted from the park's alpine hiking trails
3. Real live glaciers: Hike to 25 active ones in the park. Grinnell Glacier Viewpoint is an easy route for older kids

Kalispell is your gateway to Montana’s iconic natural wonders. In addition to hiking, biking and touring our great outdoors, this vibrant community offers endless opportunities to make lasting memories—rodeos, Main Street parades, interactive museums and so much more. Not a week goes by without some kind  of festival, concert or event. Kalispell’s cultural attractions and welcoming locals make adventure easy. Explore the fish raceways at Creston National Fish Hatchery, and then visit Lone Pine State Park for breathtaking views of the Flathead Valley and miles of trails. To fish, head to Pine Grove’s stocked pond, where the kids can have fun while they work on their angling.