Bitterroot Backpacking

Bitterroot Backpacking Backpacking and hiking guide operating in National Forests and Parks in Montana.

05/02/2026

Links to all of these hikes can be found at the link in our bio.

We've seen too many "top spring hike" type of posts lately that tell people to go to places that still have a ton of snow, so we felt it necessary for a proper hiking outfitter to make such a list!

Feel free to reach out for other recommendations! There are a ton more that we'd add to this list that are a bit further than an hour out from Missoula!

🍋‍🟩 Crystal clear waters of Fred Burr Reservoir are ready to be floated! Who wants to get their float on this weekend???
04/24/2026

🍋‍🟩 Crystal clear waters of Fred Burr Reservoir are ready to be floated! Who wants to get their float on this weekend???

Today's free guided wildflower hike was a snowy one! We saw tons of rootin' tootin' shootin' stars, silver lupine, arrow...
04/24/2026

Today's free guided wildflower hike was a snowy one! We saw tons of rootin' tootin' shootin' stars, silver lupine, arrowleaf balsamroot, and a few phlox! Join us next Thursday for another one!

I'm hosting a free wildflower hike every Thursday at 5:30 pm until the end of May! Meet us at the Waterworks trailhead o...
04/19/2026

I'm hosting a free wildflower hike every Thursday at 5:30 pm until the end of May! Meet us at the Waterworks trailhead on Minkler Loop! Sign up links are listed on our website!

Wildflower and hiking season is here in Montana! All of our hiking trips feature plenty of breaks with flower identifica...
04/15/2026

Wildflower and hiking season is here in Montana! All of our hiking trips feature plenty of breaks with flower identification! Join us for a trip as early as next week! (Cushion Phlox shown in the image!)

♥️ 406Montana is home. Nobody can ever shake us from these roots.
04/07/2026

♥️ 406

Montana is home. Nobody can ever shake us from these roots.

Missoula Phlox!...is not in these photos!These patches of Phlox were spotted in June along the Northwestern edge of Miss...
03/24/2026

Missoula Phlox!
...is not in these photos!

These patches of Phlox were spotted in June along the Northwestern edge of Missoula county. When we first spotted them I wondered, could Missoula Phlox grow this far away, at elevations above 7000 ft?

I asked Dr. Meredith Zettlemoyer (), THE expert on Missoula Phlox, who said, 'It's probably not Missoula Phlox!'

The reason: It has only been found growing at elevations of 4200 ft or less.

If you'd like to learn more about this beautiful endemic plant to Missoula, I updated the link in my bio to include a video of a presentation Dr. Zettlemoyer gave about Missoula Phlox with the Montana Native Plants Society.

Long story short, the Phlox in this photo is likely "Cushion Phlox", a more commonly found Phlox in the Rocky Mountains.

Keep your eye out on Waterworks Hill! Missoula Phlox should start showing up soon!

A little late for international women's day, but I wanted to share an old picture of my Mom to celebrate the day and her...
03/10/2026

A little late for international women's day, but I wanted to share an old picture of my Mom to celebrate the day and her life. My mom was a conservationist of nature and bestowed those views onto me too. She once dug through a town dump to find the bodies of dead piping plover chicks (an endangered beach-nesting bird) to prove that the town had illegally taken their lives.

Tragically, she suddenly passed away from lung cancer at the beginning of the year and her loss has been traumatic. These past few months have been incredibly difficult, but part of healing is memorializing her and remembering her legacy.

So here's to Nancy, the woman who taught all the value in loving and protecting nature! Thank you, love you, and miss you Mom.

12/22/2025

Just wanted to share this beautiful little clip from a hike the other day. Hope everyone has a Happy Holidays!

Have you ever been snowshoeing while it's snowing? It's a magical feeling!
12/13/2025

Have you ever been snowshoeing while it's snowing? It's a magical feeling!

Address

Missoula, MT

Telephone

+17322726878

Website

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