Seven miles in length altogether, the section of trail on the south side of the river follows the path of the old Milwaukee Road railway tracks. Along the trail are 10 bronze historical markers mounted on concrete plinths which relate various aspects of the history of the area one is passing through while on the trail.
The trail passes through or near seven parks, a demonstration garden, a skatepark, a carousel and several murals and sculptures.
Ron MacDonald served as a board member of the
Missoula Redevelopment Agency for over twenty
years. During that time he was an untiring advocate
for the development of riverfront parks and trails. His
vision and advocacy on behalf of the public's interest
in the riverfront is manifest in this trail system which
bears his name.
From the Ron MacDonald Memorial Plaque
Coordinates given are at the Ron MacDonald Memorial in Caras Park on the north side of the river, just west of Higgins Avenue.
Milwaukee Trail Vision
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railway once serviced a line that stretched from Chicago, IL to Tacoma, WA, passing through Montana and the heart of Missoula. The Rail-to-Trails Conservancy recognizes and is promoting the significant opportunity that the Milwaukee Railroad presents; the ability to create a cross-continent rail-trail in the West.
In the 1970's the Milwaukee grade was officially abandoned and properties were sold off. The City of
Missoula has converted some of the old Milwaukee Road right-of-way into the main east-west spine of its
non-motorized Bicycle Commuter Network. This trail is made up of the Kim Williams Trail, the south shore of the Ron MacDonald Riverfront Trail system and the Milwaukee Trail. Currently the Milwaukee Trail's western end is at Russell Street and to the east the trail ends near the Bandmann Flats area. The City plans to continue acquiring corridor sections for trail expansion both to the east and west.
Missoula prides itself for being a bicycle and pedestrian friendly city. A network of commuter trails
and smaller neighborhood and park trails connects Missoula's parks, shopping centers, civic centers,
schools, places of work and places of play. The core of Missoula’s Bicycle Commuter Network is built
around two rails-to-trails conversions. The main north south connection, the Bitterroot Branch Trail, runs
parallel to its railroad namesake. The old Milwaukee Road serves as the east-west commuter connection.
Both the Bitterroot Branch Trail and the Milwaukee Trail were designed by the local Landscape Architecture
firm Kent Watson & Associates with engineering done by HDR Engineers.
From Missoula Parks