Missoula is a city in Missoula County. It is the county seat. One tradition says the community name derives from Flathead word for "by very cold water"

Missoula, the largest city in western Montana, sits along the Clark Fork River and upon an old glacial lakebed, in the midst of the Rocky Mountains surrounded by millions of acres of National Forest, wilderness and recreation areas.  Missoula is known as the "Garden City" for its dense trees and lush green landscape

The city's many attractions include the University of Montana, the Charlie Russell Outdoor theatre, a Symphony, a Children's Theatre and a wide range of galleries, shopping centers, coffee houses, book stores, museums, hotels, restaurants and a ballet company. Carousel for Missoula/Dragon Hollow, Art Museum of Missoula, Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, Museum of Art & Culture, St. Francis Xavier Chruch, The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Wildlife Visitor Center and The Smokejumper Visitor Center. Historic Downtown Missoula features classic early-century buildings and offers unique shops, galleries, fine dining, cultural activities and an exciting nightlife.

Missoula offers fun-filled activities for every season.  Summer activities include bicycling, hiking, backpacking, horse packing trips, whitewater rafting, fishing, and more.  Winters offer snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and snowboarding. 

Missoula Montana is called the Garden City because the winters here are more mild than they are in the rest of the state. That doesn't mean that the winters are exactly warm here. If you come during the colder season, you can still add skiing to your list of things to do in Missoula. It's a bit of a drive to places like the Discovery Basin Ski Area and the Big Mountain Ski Resort if you are looking for an abundance of slopes, but if you don't mind smaller ski areas, Snowbowl and Lost Trail are a little easier to reach. While skiing is the top Missoula travel pursuit in the wintertime, the warmer months bring on a number of recreational prospects. Local guides can get you out on the local rivers if you are interested in doing some white water rafting. Fly-fishing, which is very popular in Montana, can be enjoyed on the rivers in and around Missoula, and other renowned fishing areas can easily be reached in three hours or less.

Fishing is just one form of hunting, and other animal species that can be hunted on a Missoula vacation include elk, big horn sheep, antelope, and deer. If you prefer to simply observe the wildlife, that's always an option too. You're bound to see plenty of native animals while hiking in the Rattlesnake Wilderness Area and the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness Area, both of which are easily reached from town. Surrounding Missoula Montana is the Lolo National Forest, and you can bet that the 1,800 miles of hiking trails that this forested area has to offer are popular with visitors and locals alike. Missoula attractions aren't just limited to the outdoors, however, and you should have no problem keeping busy downtown. The mostly contemporary art exhibits at the Missoula Art Museum can figure on your cultural Missoula travel itinerary, and the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula is an excellent place to learn about Missoula County life in earlier times. The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, features no less than thirteen different historic structures.

Housing Cost

Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $198,000

Demographics

Estimated population in July 2006: 64,081. Missoula covers 23.8 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 3,200 feet above sea level.

Zip codes: 59801, 59802, 59803, 59804, 59808 - Area code: 406

Weather

Missoula, MT climate is mild during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 60's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.

The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 82.30 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 16.80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Temperature variations between night and day tend to be relatively big during summer with a difference that can reach 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 17 degrees Fahrenheit.

The annual average precipitation at Missoula is 17.04 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is May with an average rainfall of 2.38 Inches.

Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com