The Missoula Round is a 100 mile Loop around the city of Missoula, linking up several of the most classic routes in our trail running town. The Rattlesnake Traverse, Blue Mountain, much of the City to Sky 50k course, as well as The Mt Jumbo trail system, gives you every possible view of Missoula, as well as views of the Rattlesnake Wilderness and the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. It utilizes both old and new trails, gated two track gravel roads, and bike paths. It does not enter the city center or downtown areas. It follows the Missoula skyline 360 degrees around the city hitting three separate Mountain ranges and almost every peak that is visible. This is the ultimate tour of Missoula's trail systems, it utilizes all four of our main trail heads within Over the past decade locals in Missoula have tried to devise a 100 mile trail run around our amazing city, but due to private land access issues it has been an impossibility. Thanks to Five valleys land trust and the City of Missoula for purchasing 42,000 acres to provide trail access to connect this loop.
The route starts at the Rattlesnake Wilderness trailhead and includes the most classic local ridge ride, "The Rattlesnake Traverse" , Follows Spring Gulch trail to Stuart Peak trail and continues Along the ridgeline to Mosquito peak, Simpson Peak, Murphy Peak, and Point Six, then descends the main trail down Snowbowl ski area to the gated Forest Service Road on TV mountain. It then follows the main TV mountain Road to Butler Creek Road. It follows Butler Creek Rd, to Mullan Rd, to Kona Ranch Road to Cross the Clarkfork River. Then it follows Big Flat Rd to Dry Gulch Rd., It follows Dry Gulch Rd to the USFS Gate and continues on Dry gulch Rd up to the Jeep Trail access Rd for the Powerlines, It follows the Jeep Trail behind Black Mt to The Lookout at Blue Mountain, then descends Blue Mountain on the main trail to the Blue Mountain trailhead, then connects to the Bitterroot Bike trail via Blue Mountain Rd. It follows the Bike path North East To Lower Miller Creek Rd., then takes a right on Lower Miller Creek to the round about, and exits on Upper Miller Creek Rd for several miles to take a left on the new Inez Creek Trailhead up the ridge to the Skyline Ridge trailhead. From The Skyline ridge trail you descend to Patty Canyon and then take the direct route up University Mountain and follow the ridge trail to the Summit of Mount Sentinel. You descend the Boy scout Trail to the "M" trailhead, then take a right on University drive to access the Madison Street walking Bridge to the light, heading North on Van Buren Street to the intersection of Cheery street. Take a right on Cherry Street to the 'L' trailhead on Mt Jumbo, proceed up the "L" trail past the "L" and continue to the Mt Jumbo Summit, continue down the Mt Jumbo saddle Trail to the wood gulch trailhead continuing on the Woods Gulch trail to Rattlesnake drive. Take a right and Follow the Road North back to the trailhead, completing the Loop.
Garmin Connect link to the route on Garmin Connect
https://webmap.onxmaps.com/backcountry/share/content?share_id=01KWZMC8FYFXTDZVS4J64W8H61 link to OnX backcountry route
