Entry No. 55 — the Missoula file — filed under: outdoor-weird

Reinhardt Peony Garden on the 'M' Trail

At the base of Mount Sentinel, right by the trailhead for Missoula's most-hiked path up to the concrete 'M,' sits the Howard and ChinWon Reinhardt Peony Garden — said to be Montana's first public peony garden and one of the few west of the Mississippi devoted entirely to peonies. Nearly 200 varieties bloom here, one tracing back to England in 1768. Dedicated in 2019 to honor a longtime Missoula couple, it's an easy, unexpected detour for anyone heading up the switchbacks. The bloom runs roughly late May into early July.

The move: Catch it in early June: stroll the peony beds at the trailhead at golden hour, then hike the switchbacks up to the concrete 'M' for the valley view as the sun drops.

📍 Before you go Free and always open. Peonies peak in early June; outside that window it is just foliage. The garden is at the trailhead parking area at the base of the M Trail.

• 📍 University District (Mount Sentinel)
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: M Trail trailhead, base of Mount Sentinel behind University of Montana, Missoula, MT

Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-24