Flathead Indian Country - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 298

Despite a devastating fire in 1884, much of historic Missoula remains. The old down-
town district on the north side of the Clark Fork showcases many lovely old structures,
including the Missoula Mercantile Building, the county courthouse, and Higgins Block, a
group of turn-of-the-century commercial buildings decorated with intricate ironwork and
gingerbread cornices. And it's also home to Montana's largest brewery. Across the river
the University of Montana, a major research institution, is surrounded by leafy blocks of
lavish 19th-century homes. Each day at noon the caroling of bells resounds from the tower
at University Hall.
Missoula's mile-long Greenough Park provides a refreshingly scenic hike through
stands of conifers and cottonwoods lining the banks of Rattlesnake Creek. Bird-watchers
gather here to glimpse warblers, pileated woodpeckers, American dippers, Bohemian and
cedar waxwings, and other avian rarities.
Draped with the shimmering reflection of the Mission Mountains, Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake
west of the Mississippi in the lower 48 states. Its 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline leave an indelible
impression on all who behold it.