If you thought it impossible for one place to have it all, you haven’t considered Missoula. This vibrant college town is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream that embodies the best of the New West, a study in contrasts where sophistication, education and culture meld with a relaxed, hip vibe that draws an eclectic mix of single professionals, active retirees and young families alike.
Located in the far west quadrant of the state, the little mill town known as Missoula Mills was founded in 1860 as a trading post, lumber and agricultural center. The town lies in the Missoula Valley, an astounding convergence of five mountain valleys formed by the Bitterroot Mountains, the Sapphire Range, Garnet Range, Rattlesnake Mountains and Reservation Divide. Well before its renown as the fictional setting for the film version of "A River Runs Through It," Missoula was a mecca for fly fishermen. The town was originally known to the Indians as "Nemissodatakoo," a Flathead Indian term meaning "by or near the cold chilling waters" that refers to its location at the confluence of the Clark Fork, Blackfoot and Bitterroot Rivers.
Today, Missoulians share a fierce affection and enthusiasm for year-round outdoor activities, including hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and fly fishing as well as biking, downhill and cross-country skiing, and golf. The proximity of hikeable wilderness affords a host of adventures, from climbing from the top of Mount Sentinel to the top of Snowbowl, trekking through the Bob Marshall or Glacial Lake Wilderness areas, or following in the steps of Lewis and Clark along their trail that follows US Highway 12 from Missoula to Lewiston, ID. For a less strenuous adventure, enjoy the open grasslands with a leisurely drive through nearby National Bison Range Wildlife Refuge, one of the oldest wildlife refuges in the country and home to anywhere from 350 to 500 American Bison and many other wildlife including elk, white-tail and mule deer, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, coyotes, black bears and over 200 species of birds, including bald eagles.
Thanks to the University of Montana and the popular downtown festival area known as Carousel Park, Missoula draws an array of international events, from rock concerts to choral festivals, symphony and theater performances. Healthy organic food, microbreweries and chef-run restaurants lend a sophisticated flair, while a host of celebs and writers, including author Tom McGuane, who lives in a ranch in the Boulder River Valley in nearby McLeod, have earned Missoula the moniker of "Paris of the West." The area boasts excellent air connections via Missoula International Airport, the largest airport in western Montana, complemented by a network of interstate highways and public transit and an expanse of pedestrian and bicycle trails that extend over 22 miles throughout the community.
"All the catch phrases for Montana—‘Big Sky Country,’ ‘Fly Fishing Paradise,’ ‘The Last Best Place,’—really apply to Missoula," according to Jan and Hugh Petticord, a married couple who have maintained dual residency in Missoula and Palm Springs, CA since 1992. After spending 35 years living in Yakima, WA, where Hugh worked in the fruit industry, the couple selected Missoula as one of two ideal locations to enjoy their retirement years. "My territory covered the Flathead Lake area, and I’d travel to Missoula every chance I had to do some hiking and fly fishing," Hugh recalls. "When I retired in the early 1990’s, we decided to ‘follow the sun,’ so to speak, and purchased a place to winter (near Palm Springs) and a summer home in Missoula."
The Petticords purchased a homesite and built a townhouse in The Ranch Club, a 340-acre full-service community located just six miles northwest of Missoula’s city center that boasts one of the most scenic swaths of real estate in the Clark Fork Valley.
"The views here extend for miles," says Ranch Club Realty broker, Jason Suchecki, who points out that the property’s undulating hills proved perfect for the links golf course that exists here today, along with a subdivision currently comprised of 100 homes, with completion plans to feature a total of 350 residences.
"There’s a plaque in Caras Park that sums up how we feel about Missoula," says Jan Petticord. "If magic can happen anywhere, it can happen in Missoula where dreams are followed and promises kept and where people believe in making a life as well as making a living."
POPULATION: 66,788 (2010 census)
MEDIAN AGE OF RESIDENTS: 30 years
RANGE OF LUXURY RESIDENTIAL PRICES: Smaller older homes can be found in the downtown area for under $200,000, with higher prices for premium homes near the desirable University district. Just outside of town at The Ranch Club, home sites run from $80,000 to $200,000, with available homes selling generally in the $300,000 to $700,000 range, with other-high end communities featuring prices of more than $1 million.
COST OF LIVING INDEX: 101 (U.S. average 100)
WHO YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE: Missoula attracts a variety of professions, from musicians, writers and artists to corporate and healthcare executives, politicians, and federal judges. Latest trends show an increasing number of computer software engineers, structural iron and steel workers, geoscientists and environmental scientists moving to the area.
AN IDEAL DAY: On Saturdays, come into downtown Missoula and start out with a visit to the Downtown Farmers’ Market; enjoy a handmade cinnamon roll from a market stall for breakfast, then proceed to nearby Carousel Park, a diverse playland for adults and children alike located on Carousel Drive near the Riverfront. For lunch, have a beer and some authentic Mexican food at El Cazador or a casual lunch at one the many brew pubs downtown; then go tubing down the Clark Fork River, which runs through downtown Missoula, or head up to the Bob Marshall Wilderness to do some fly fishing. Complete the day with an early dinner at Café Dolce or reserve a table at the Ranch Club Restaurant for a late dinner overlooking the golf course.
THE DREAM HOME: Elegant, contemporary rustic, lodge-style home featuring reclaimed barn wood, rough stone and corrugated tin accents, preferably with a mountain view and/ or overlooking the golf course at The Ranch Club. Historically, the property was part of the sprawling Deschamps cattle ranch that was settled over 125 years ago; today The Club offers four resort style pools, a year-round fitness center, and a fine dining restaurant in addition to its golf course.
