We spent a few days in Missoula in early August so that we could visit Anna’s nephew Brian and his wife Liisa who live south of Missoula. We enjoyed our visit with them and finally met their sweet little girls, toured their nice new house, saw the trailer for their bakery business, Expressions of Sugar, and forgot to take any pictures!

We also were near Darby where the Chief Joseph Ranch is located. This ranch is used for filming the TV series “Yellowstone” so we had to drive by since we were so close. Unfortunately for us, they were filming the day we drove by so we were unable to get very close. We also found out about the Smokejumper Base at the Missoula airport and decided to go to the museum and tour since you don’t have access to something like that every day!

Smokejumper base

The Missoula Smokejumper Base was established in 1939 and is one of the oldest and most prominent smokejumper base in the United States. Smokejumpers were originally conceived as a way to quickly address wildfires in remote and inaccessible areas by parachuting them into these areas. The base is an important part of the National Smokejumper Association’s efforts to preserve the history and legacy of this unique profession.

Smokejumpers are highly trained firefighters who undergo rigorous physical and technical training in Missoula and other places. They are equipped to handle wildfires under challenging conditions, often working in rugged terrain and unpredictable weather.

For visitors, the base features a museum that showcases the history of smokejumping, including vintage equipment, uniforms, and photographs. The exhibits provide insight into the evolution of the smokejumping profession and the challenges faced by these brave firefighters. The museum also includes displays of historic aircraft used for smokejumping missions, as well as the parachutes and other gear used by smokejumpers.

Park Review – Missoula KOA Holiday

Rating: ⭐⭐1/2
Location: Missoula, MT
Type: Commercial Park
Check-in/Check-out times: 1:00/11:00
Site Quality / Amenities: The roads are asphalt and the pads are gravel. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. We had a premium site so we had a swing and an upgraded table as well as a concrete patio.
Access: From I-90 in Missoula, take US-93 south to England Blvd. then go west to Tina Ave. Turn right and the office is on the right.
Staff: The staff were all friendly and helpful with tips for the area.
Restaurants: Pagoda Chinese – Neither one of us really liked the food here. For me, my fried rice seemed overcooked and likely a bit burned.
Nearby parks: We didn’t look at any other parks nearby.
What we liked: The location was convenient to places we wanted to go.
What we didn’t like: When you turn onto Tina Ave. you are immediately greeted with several old mobile homes that are not in good shape. One had at least 10 cars in various state of repair outside. Although we had no issues and security never seemed to be a problem, this was just at the limit of some place we would want to stay. Navigating the park was a bit difficult in places.
Verdict: We’d look at other places and likely not stay here again. We should also keep in mind that Holiday parks are expensive and are designed for family holidays. We don’t get anywhere close to our money’s worth at these parks.