The irresistible Riverfront Trail begs to be walked, run, biked or skated. This flat, paved path borders the south side of the Clark Fork River, which means it's easily accessible from the University of Montana and Downtown Missoula. Burn calories from Orange Street to Washington Grizzly Stadium, a distance of about a mile and a half. At the far east end (by UM), the Riverfront Trail changes to gravel and becomes the Kim Williams Trail. Sandwiched between the Clark Fork and Mount Sentinel, the Kim Williams Trail continues on for two and a half more miles. Branch off on the uphill Hellgate Canyon Trail if you feel like conquering Sentinel's summit.

Our favorite ones around town:

Missoula Art Museum

4 Ravens Gallery

Montana Museum of Art & Culture

Radius

Blue Mountain Recreation Area

Super popular with dogs and their two-legged counterparts, Blue Mountain Recreation Area is an easy two-mile drive southwest of Missoula. A nice mix of easy walking and steeper climbs, Blue Mountain boasts expansive meadows (keep an eye out for the most gorgeous blue butterflies) and great views of the Missoula Valley, including a self-guided nature trail. Be prepared for horses, mountain bikers and plenty of happy dogs.

Waterworks Hill

Waterworks Hill is a favorite among locals. Located just off Greenough Drive, Waterworks is an easy, scenic in-town hike. The treeless stretch may seem barren on first glance, but on closer examination, you'll find some pretty remarkable plant life. Montana's state flower, the bitterroot, blooms in the spring. Be on the lookout for birds and foxes.

A local favorite, the short scramble up Mount Sentinel takes you, courtesy of 11 switchbacks, 620 feet above the valley floor in less than half a mile, giving you a bird's-eye view of the entire Missoula valley and surrounding mountains. Originally constructed in 1908 out of whitewashed rocks and later concreted in place, the M is a landmark worth the trek.

Mount Sentinel "M" Trail:

The trailhead is located on the University of Montana campus. It is 3/4 mile to the "M" and 1 3/4 miles to the very top of Mount Sentinel.

On a hot Missoula day you will be sure to find hundreds of floaters passing through town on their tubes. If you decide to join them, they might even be generous to share their beer with you. Just make sure to leave the glass at home and take any garbage from the float with you.

2 Options How to Float:

1) With a float company like Clark Fork Yacht Club https://www.clarkforkyachtclub.com/

2) Buy your own float from Ace and shuttle up the river with a rental car or the city bus has a river shuttle.

It wouldn't be a trip to Missoula, or Montana, without a fishing adventure. We've all seen the fly fishing movie, A River Runs Through It, right? Fishing is absolutely central to this community.

Best Outfitters:

Blackfoot River Outfitters