Trails and Maps
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Mount Jumbo
Missoula protects a mountain
Home to wintering elk, nesting songbirds, swallowtail butterflies and bitterroots.
Field Notes
This mountain in the city is home to mule and white-tailed deer, a wintering elk herd, black bears, mountain lions, marmots, red foxes, and a host of birds and butterflies. Blue Grouse nest in the Douglas fir, Lazuli Buntings sing from the tops of serviceberry bushes, and Prairie Falcon scan the mountaintop for prey. On a sunny June day on the top of Mt Jumbo, you'll find bitterroots in bloom and swallowtail butterflies "hill-topping", where males gather on mountain summits to find a mate.
Back to TopConservation
In 1995, Missoula residents voted to support an open space bond to help purchase Mt Jumbo to protect its unique wildlife habitat and public access. Additional funding and support from Five Valleys Land Trust along with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, the Lolo National Forest and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation cemented Mt Jumbo as the cornerstone of Missoula's open space parks.
Mt Jumbo's name reflects its likeness to an elephant with its head and trunk facing north. The back of this elephant mountain is covered with bluebunch wheatgrass, rough and Idaho fescue grassland, and with woody draws or ravines that grow thick with hawthorn, service berry, and ninebark. On the cooler north side of its shoulders, you'll find a ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forest.
Cultural Link
Many have wanted what Mt Jumbo had to offer. Around the 1880s, miners tunneled into the mountain looking for gold, silver and cooper. A quartz lode claim, called Jumbo after a traveling circus elephant, struck copper and left it with its trademark name. Especially in winter with a dusting of snow, look for the ancient shoreline of Lake Missoula still visible along its face as horizontal watermarks.
Back to TopViewing Tip
If you'd like to be on top of a mountain, this is the hike for you. The views are spectacular--you can see out over the Missoula Valley, the Rattlesnake Wilderness to the north, and Mt Sentinel and the Bitterroot Range to the south. If you like hiking up a steep trail, start at the Cherry Street access. If you'd rather take your time and follow a ridgeline, use the Mt Jumbo saddle access.
Back to TopHelpful Hint
As you use Mt Jumbo, please follow the guidelines for trail use, dogs on lease and winter closures. To protect the herd of elk that call Mt Jumbo home, the southern portion is closed from December 1 through March 15. The northern portion is closed from Dec 1 through May 1.
Back to TopGetting There
There are two major access points to Mt Jumbo from the Rattlesnake Valley: From Van Buren Avenue in the Lower Rattlesnake turn right on cherry Street to reach the "L" trail and the south trail. About 2 miles up Van Buren/Rattlesnake Drive turn right at Lincoln Hills and drive to the end of the paved road to access the Mt Jumbo Saddle Trail.
Back to TopContact
Missoula Parks & Recreation
100 Hickory Street
Missoula, MT 59801
406-721-7275
parksrec@ci.missoula.mt.us
Facilities
parking, hiking and mountain biking trails.
Back to TopSpecies of Note
- Prairie falcon
- Blue Grouse .
- Calliope Hummingbird
- Western Bluebird
- Mountain Bluebird
- Lazuli bunting
- Spotted towhee
- Western meadowlark
- Anise swallowtails
- Elk
