Maclay Flat Nature Trail
A nature trail through meadows and forests on the west edge of Missoula
MacLay Flat Nature Trail is a looped nature trail featuring meadow, forest, and mountain views, with access to the Bitterroot River.
Features: 16 trail side signs offering information on the plants, animals, and ecosystems of the area, a few* benches along the nature trail, and an additional river access trail.
Accessibility info and site description: There is an accessible parking space, but it is not marked for van accessibility. There are two accessible restrooms in front of the accessible parking area. The river access trail can be found near the entrance to the parking lot and is roughly 150 yards to the river. The main nature trail is a 4 foot wide gravel path, with two loop options: one is 1.8 miles and the other is 1.25 miles. The trail is fairly flat (no elevation gain) but there are spots with short, gradual hills and depressions, some parts of the trail are uneven, and the section of trail next to the river is partially washed out. According to the map, there should be 5 benches along the 1.25 mile trail, and 7 benches around the 1.8 mile trail. However, the first bench on the left side of the trail is missing, so the distance from the entrance to the first bench at the river is .5 mile. Subsequent benches (if still intact*) would be an average .25 mile apart.
My experience: Like any outdoor space, your enjoyment of this location will depend on your goals and accessibility needs. Maclay Flat is a great option for someone who wants to go for a long walk, and this spot offers a fairly flat path with some nice views along the way, especially in the summer and fall. For others, however, this trail is not as accessible as it is often boasted to be. I was unable to complete the loop due to the lack of benches in the first .5 mile, so I could not confirm if the rest of the benches were still there. However, even at the full 5-7 benches for 1.25-1.8 miles, that's still quite few and far between. For comparison, other places with "benches along the trail" are anywhere from 200 to 500 feet apart, while the benches at Maclay Flat (if none were missing) would be an average of 1350 feet between benches. My other accessibility concern here is the accessible parking. This is a very popular location and it can be difficult to find a parking space, and it’s not uncommon for non-disabled people to squeeze in on either side of the small accessible parking sign, which may cause issues for Disabled folks needing van-accessible parking.
Overall, MacLay Flat is a great place to go for a long walk in nature close to town, but if long walks are not your strong suit and one bench per .25-.5 mile doesn't cut it, there are other spots that might be a better fit for you!
