Thanks to a partnership between the City of Missoula and landowner Izzy Dog, LLC the base area of Marshall Mountain is now open for public use!
The 160-acre base area of the former Marshall Mountain Ski Area, which lies directly below Five Valleys’ 160-acre portion of the mountain, has long been used by our community. However, until the property recently came under new ownership, the base area was only accessible through agreements with the previous private owner.
Thanks to a generous arrangement with new owner Izzy Dog, LLC, the City of Missoula has leased the base area property for $10 for the next 18-24 months. At the end of the term, the City will have an option to purchase the parcel. In the interim, Izzy Dog, LLC has opened Marshall Mountain Park for public use. With this exciting development, the Marshall Mountain Park base area can now be used to access the network of trails on Five Valleys' property.
Visitors should review the Marshall Mountain Park rules and trail map before their trip, and recreate responsibly and respectfully to preserve future community access. When enjoying Marshall Mountain Park please keep in mind:
• Marshall Mountain Park is still private property; please respect property owners and neighbors.
• Day use only—no overnight camping or parking.
• Dogs are not permitted at this time*
• Watch for trail use and type—some trails are one-way, bikes only. Others are shared-use.
• Stay on trails, recreate safely.
*Due to the anticipated high volume of recreational use and the design of the existing trail system, dogs are not allowed at Marshall Mountain Park at this time, and may or may not be permitted later.
Five Valleys is thrilled with this community-minded outcome and look forward to working with the City, Missoula County, and the landowners to ensure this open space and these recreation opportunities are protected in perpetuity.
City of Missoula Parks and Recreation will host a community celebration at Marshall Mountain on September 12th, from 1:00pm-4:00pm. Community members will have a chance to tour the site and learn how to become involved with planning for the future of Marshall Mountain Park. See you there!
Header photo by Tom Robertson
