Given that you are driving up from AZ I can certainly understand why you don't want to drive any more once you get here and even the relatively short trip, ( by MT standards ), to Hamilton over the Skalkahoe to Philipsburg will run you close to 200 miles. It can be done in a day but it would be a very long day!
Given your time constraints and the acclimation you'll have to go through at the University, you are probably best served enjoying the sights and sounds of Missoula itself, with an obligatory river float thrown in. There are a couple small but great museums in town. Most notable is the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula and the entire Fort Missoula Regional Park. The exhibits on Glacial Lake Missoula and the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps are fascinating!
The Museum of Mountain Flying and the Smoke Jumper Visitors Center are both worth a look, as is the Missoula Art Museum, which although small has some very notable pieces of art from some well known Artists.
On the Saturday Morning you are here take in the Farmer's Market downtown. It is actually 3 or 4 markets combined! In addition to the traditional produce one would find at a farmers market there are all sorts of crafts and other goods for sale a block south of the produce at the North end of Higgins Avenue. Then there is a separate market under the Higgins Street Bridge right on the Clark Fork River.
On Wednesday afternoon don't miss the weekly Out to Lunch Celebration at Caras Park. There is usually great music and a number of local food vendors that can give you a hint of some of the Restaurants you might want to visit later.
Finally, if the mountain is open a hike to the "M" is a must. Do that in the morning though to avoid the heat of the day.
Given your time constraints and the acclimation you'll have to go through at the University, you are probably best served enjoying the sights and sounds of Missoula itself, with an obligatory river float thrown in. There are a couple small but great museums in town. Most notable is the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula and the entire Fort Missoula Regional Park. The exhibits on Glacial Lake Missoula and the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps are fascinating!
The Museum of Mountain Flying and the Smoke Jumper Visitors Center are both worth a look, as is the Missoula Art Museum, which although small has some very notable pieces of art from some well known Artists.
On the Saturday Morning you are here take in the Farmer's Market downtown. It is actually 3 or 4 markets combined! In addition to the traditional produce one would find at a farmers market there are all sorts of crafts and other goods for sale a block south of the produce at the North end of Higgins Avenue. Then there is a separate market under the Higgins Street Bridge right on the Clark Fork River.
On Wednesday afternoon don't miss the weekly Out to Lunch Celebration at Caras Park. There is usually great music and a number of local food vendors that can give you a hint of some of the Restaurants you might want to visit later.
Finally, if the mountain is open a hike to the "M" is a must. Do that in the morning though to avoid the heat of the day.
There is a truck stop just over the Idaho border on I-15 in Dubois. For the most part that crap really really sucks. This place though actually has some burritos that are simply amazing for a gas station. :thumb: