MONTANA

YEAR VISITED: 2007, 2009, 2018, and 2023.

FAVORITE CITIES AND EXPERIENCES: Jill’s first teaching job was at Catlin Elementary in Kelso,WA. It was there that Jill met Andrea (Sari) Felton and they quickly became good friends. After a couple of years Andrea married Brett and they moved to Missoula. However, we have been fortunate to have stayed in touch and have managed to bombard the Felton’s with visits in 2007, 2009, and 2018.

Therefore, we have explored Missoula more than any other city in Montana. One of our first outings was to walk the campus of the University of Montana. The setting is beautiful and seems to be the perfect mix of ‘big enough to have everything you want, but small enough to not feel overwhelming.’

Besides touring the campus, I always enjoy seeing the athletic facilities. Montana’s football field, Grizzly Stadium, has to be one of the best in Division 1-AA.

We have also explored downtown where we enjoyed a street fair, sampled various food trucks, and listened to live music. I believe this is a reoccurring summer event and worth hitting up when you are in the area.

In 2023 we stumbled upon the Notorious P.I.G. located on Front Street in downtown.

We have always enjoyed this area and the barbeque definitely left a great taste in our mouths. When returning to Missoula, this downtown will more than likely be our first stop.

When you have young kids you have to plan accordingly. As a result we stumbled upon the Missoula Carousel at Caras Park and it was a true highlight for both our kids (under the age of 5 on our first two trips).

The first time I realized just how big Montana is was the day I decided to drive from Missoula to Little Big Horn National Battlefield. Seeing as I am a history buff, we had some down time, and it appeared close on the map I thought this would be a perfect outing. Therefore I got up up early and set out to see the sight of Custer’s Last Stand – five and a half hours later, I made it. While it meant over ten total hours driving in one day, I am very glad I decided to do it. As a family we stopped in 2023 for a quick visit.

I found the park to be in need of a facelift and the visitor center fairly rundown, but I was absolutely fascinated by the site itself.

Seeing the landscape made the battle, something I had previously read a lot about, come alive. I felt like I could actually see General Custer barking out orders for survival.

STADIUMS AND/OR SPORTING EVENTS: In 2018 Team Felton and Team Castro attended a Missoula Osprey baseball game. The Osprey are the minor league affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, they have since changed their name to the Paddleheads.

While the weather looked ominous we decided to go anyway and enjoyed five or six innings before the clouds opened, it poured, and the game was suspended. Nevertheless we have seen an Osprey/Paddleheads game in Ogren Park. On a sidenote this area seemed to be in the process of expanding as there were a number of condo’s, resturants, and bars being built. I am assuming this area currently is a growing fun place to be in downtown.

ADVENTURE(S): During our first visit to Missoula, Brett and I climbed the “M”… a huge cemented M built into the hillside overlooking the University of Montana. Because there were a number of forest fires in the area it was extremely smokey, but the hike itself was roughly 35 minutes up and the views were spectacular.

In 2009, with three little kids and another one on the way, both families squeezed into one car and we made the three+ hour drive from Missoula to Glacier National Park. While good company is good company, the noise level on the way there was much louder than on the way home.

What I rember the most about that trip was having my breath taken away while driving the Road to the Sun on Logan Pass. The canyons, views, and overall natural beauty is absolutely breathtaking but attempting to take in the views while simultanousely navigating the extremly narrow and windy road made me nearly hyperventilate.

Once we finally summitted the Road to the Sun (I felt like I was in outer space) we pulled off and hiked around Logan Pass. I was absolutely blown away by the overall natural beauty of Glacier National Park.