Moon Phase Today Missoula

Moon Phase Today Missoula: New Moon

On Friday, October 9, 2026, the moon in Missoula is a New Moon with 0% illumination. Moon age: 28.9 days.

Illumination
0%
Moon Age
28.9d
Next Full Moon
Oct 25
Distance
--
☽ Moonrise
6:50 AM
↑ Highest
—
☾ Moonset
6:28 PM

moon-over-missoula-montana

☽ Best Places to View the Moon in Missoula, MT

Missoula sits at the western edge of Montana in the Missoula Valley, less than 25 miles from the Idaho border, covering about 34.5 sq mi of land at 3,209 feet on a relatively flat valley floor surrounded by steep hills. Those hills — Mount Sentinel rising to 5,158 feet and Mount Jumbo to 4,768 feet — give the city real elevation for moon viewing, though they can also hide a low moonrise from the valley floor. The date and your observing location together determine the moon's rise time and direction; your viewpoint determines how much of that horizon is actually unobstructed. Here are six Missoula locations that offer different ways to experience or photograph the moon.

1

Mount Sentinel & the M Trail

Missoula's best-known geographic feature, with panoramic views of the city, the University of Montana, Hellgate Canyon, and the surrounding ranges. The M Trail climbs about 620 feet over a steep ¾-mile route with 13 switchbacks to the whitewashed-rock tradition begun in 1908, with the present concrete M installed in 1968; the summit reaches 5,158 feet. Check current University of Montana parking and access rules at the trailhead.

2

Waterworks Hill

A short hike north of downtown in Lower Rattlesnake, with open views across Missoula and the surrounding mountains — well suited to sunset and evening moon. Check current trail rules before you go, including leash requirements, which have been in place seasonally to protect a rare native plant.

3

Mount Jumbo

Rising to 4,768 feet on the north side, overlooking downtown and the entrance to Hellgate Canyon. The elevated position gives broad valley compositions for a moonrise, though you should check the exact azimuth for your date. Most of the mountain is subject to seasonal wildlife closures, so confirm current access before planning around it.

4

Blue Mountain Recreation Area

A major open-space area on the west side of town with an extensive trail system, allowing dogs under applicable local and posted rules. The open terrain works for sunset and for lunar compositions when the moon is toward the west. Check posted rules and current access before a late visit.

5

Caras Park

A downtown park along the Clark Fork River, with a pavilion, bandshell, carousel, and riverfront features, hosting concerts and farmers markets. The riverfront pavilion near the Higgins Street Bridge gives a relaxed foreground, and check current hours and event schedules before a late visit.

6

Kim Williams Trail

A flat, roughly 2.5-mile trail following the old Milwaukee Railroad grade along the Clark Fork River between the University area and downtown. Good for moon-over-river and bridge compositions without any climbing.

◉ Best Times for Moon Photography

🌕 Full Moon ±1 day — generally rises near sunset and sets near sunrise, though the surrounding ridges can delay when you actually see it
🌔 Days before full — a waxing gibbous moon is often useful for blue hour, with the foreground still retaining some light
🌑 New Moon — dark skies for deep-sky observing, with locations away from downtown lighting preferable
🧭 Landmark alignments — the moon generally rises somewhere along the eastern half of the horizon, but its exact rising azimuth shifts substantially with the date and your latitude, so check the exact date and viewpoint rather than assuming it will rise due east

📷 Quick Photography Tips

🎯Use a sturdy tripod for valley panoramas and bracketing
📷Shoot RAW and bracket — the moon is much brighter than the valley floor and the town lights
📏Looney 11 rule — a useful starting point for a bright full moon: f/11, ISO 100, 1/100s, then check your histogram and adjust for phase, atmospheric conditions, and your equipment
🌕Low on the horizon, the moon can look strikingly large — that's the well-known "moon illusion," a perceptual effect rather than an actual change in angular size. A telephoto lens doesn't make the moon physically larger or change its angular size relative to the foreground; instead, a long lens lets you tightly frame a distant moon and a distant foreground together, and moving farther from that foreground can make the moon appear larger relative to it in the resulting composition
⛰️A 200–400mm lens can isolate the moon above Mount Sentinel, Mount Jumbo, or the river
🌫️Check for smoke and haze — wildfire smoke can reduce contrast and obscure the moon
🕐 Timezone

Missoula runs on Mountain Time — MST (UTC−7) in winter and MDT (UTC−6) in summer, following the standard U.S. daylight saving schedule. PhotoPills or Stellarium will handle the moon's exact rise azimuth for any of these spots automatically, as long as your device's clock is correct.

Enjoy the moon over Missoula — a hillside "M" above the valley, a riverfront park on the Clark Fork, and a flat rail-trail along the water all sharing the same lunar glow.

The moon phase today in Missoula, Montana is shown in detail above — complete with exact illumination percentage, moonrise/set times, and the best local spots to see it. For the moon phase today in any other city worldwide, visit our Dynamic Moon Phase Calculator on the home page.

◐ What the Experience Actually Feels Like

At the M, 13 switchbacks bring you about 620 feet above the valley over a steep ¾-mile route, with views across the Missoula Valley toward the Rattlesnake and Bitterroot ranges. It's the most dramatic vantage point on this list, and the climb is part of the experience.

On Waterworks Hill, a short grassy ridge north of downtown opens to sunset views over town — a quicker, easier way to get above the valley for an evening moon.

Down at Caras Park, the riverfront pavilion and bandshell provide a relaxed foreground along the Clark Fork near the Higgins Street Bridge, a far gentler way to catch the moon than any of the hillside climbs.

"Panoramic views of Missoula and the surrounding valleys from the M Trail's 13 switchbacks, sunset from Waterworks Hill, and broad valley views from Mount Jumbo — all within the same city."

✓ Your Missoula Moon Chase Checklist

Before You Go

  • Check the moonrise time and rise azimuth for your date — the date and your observing location together determine the moon's rise time and direction, while your viewpoint determines how much of that horizon is unobstructed
  • Verify Site Access: check current University of Montana parking and access rules at the M Trail trailhead, seasonal wildlife closures on Mount Jumbo, and current trail rules on Waterworks Hill
  • Use PhotoPills or Stellarium to check whether the moon will align with a specific landmark on your date
  • Check the forecast for cloud, haze, and wildfire smoke
  • Confirm current rules on tripods and photography at your chosen venue, especially for anything beyond personal use

What to Bring

  • A telephoto lens, often 200mm or longer, plus a wide lens for the valley and ridgelines
  • A headlamp for the descent after sunset
  • Layers for the evening temperature drop
  • A remote shutter release or a 2-second timer to avoid shake on tripod shots
  • Spare batteries, particularly for long sessions or extended time outdoors

On the Night

  • As a general recommendation, arrive at your viewpoint at least 30–45 minutes early, and allow extra time for the climb if you're heading up the M Trail or Waterworks Hill
  • Focus manually on the moon's surface detail using magnified live view — town lights below can confuse autofocus at dusk
  • Bracket your exposures — one for the bright lunar disc, one for the darker valley and town lights
  • If the moon looks soft or hazy right at moonrise, consider waiting until it climbs higher above the horizon, when atmospheric effects are often less pronounced
  • Stay on trails and respect wildlife closures on Mount Jumbo, and plan your descent with a headlamp before you need it
The moon over Missoula moves between very different stages — a steep hillside climb above the valley, a short grassy ridge at sunset, and a calm riverfront along the Clark Fork. Use the tools on this page, pick your vantage point, and catch a Missoula moonrise for yourself.

? Missoula Moon Phase — Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the moon phase today in Missoula, Montana?

The moon phase today in Missoula is a New Moon with 0% illumination. The next full moon is in 17 days, on Oct 25. Moonrise is at 6:50 AM and moonset at 6:28 PM.

Q. Where is the best place to view the moon in Missoula?

For the most dramatic view, Mount Sentinel's M Trail climbs about 620 feet over a steep ¾-mile route with 13 switchbacks, with panoramic views of Missoula, the University of Montana and Hellgate Canyon. Waterworks Hill, a short hike north of downtown, is a quicker option with open sunset views, and Mount Jumbo, rising to 4,768 feet on the north side, overlooks downtown and Hellgate Canyon. Blue Mountain Recreation Area on the west side has open terrain and an extensive trail system. At river level, Caras Park and the flat Kim Williams Trail along the Clark Fork suit moon-over-river and bridge compositions.

Q. Where does the moon rise and set in Missoula, and how high does it climb?

At about 46.9°N, Missoula's moonrise and moonset points swing across the horizon each month, from roughly northeast to southeast for rising and northwest to southwest for setting. A winter full moon climbs high in the south, to roughly 67° above the horizon, while a summer full moon stays lower, peaking near 20°. Missoula sits at 3,209 feet on a valley floor surrounded by steep hills, so the surrounding ridges can delay when you actually see the moon compared with the listed moonrise time. From the M Trail or Mount Jumbo you look out over the valley with a much wider horizon, and Blue Mountain's open terrain works when the moon is toward the west. Check the azimuth for your date and exact viewpoint.

Q. Is light pollution a problem for moon observing in Missoula?

The moon is bright enough to observe and photograph from almost anywhere in Missoula, so light pollution rarely limits the lunar disc itself. It does wash out earthshine on a thin crescent and any faint sky detail. Around a new moon, locations away from downtown lighting are preferable for dark skies, while the elevated viewpoints look out over the town lights below, which can confuse autofocus at dusk, so focus manually on the moon's surface detail using magnified live view.

Q. What camera settings and phases work best for moon photography in Missoula?

For a full moon, start with Looney 11 (f/11, ISO 100, 1/100 s) and refine using your histogram, since it is a baseline rather than a guarantee. The moon is much brighter than the valley floor and the town lights, so shoot RAW and bracket or blend exposures to keep both crater detail and the foreground. A full moon generally rises near sunset, and a waxing gibbous moon is often useful for blue hour, with the foreground still retaining some light. A 200–400 mm lens can isolate the moon above Mount Sentinel, Mount Jumbo or the river, and a sturdy tripod helps for valley panoramas and bracketing.

Q. How do wildfire smoke, haze and evening temperature drops affect moon viewing in Missoula?

Wildfire smoke and haze can reduce contrast and obscure the moon, so check the forecast for cloud, haze and smoke before heading out. Evening temperatures drop, so bring layers, and carry a headlamp for the descent after sunset, since the M Trail is a steep climb with 13 switchbacks. If the moon looks soft or hazy right at moonrise, wait until it climbs higher above the horizon, when atmospheric effects are often less pronounced.

Q. Can I visit Missoula's moon viewpoints after dark?

Access varies by site. Check current University of Montana parking and access rules at the M Trail trailhead, and check current trail rules on Waterworks Hill, including any leash requirements. Most of Mount Jumbo is subject to seasonal wildlife closures, so confirm current access before planning around it, and stay on trails. Blue Mountain Recreation Area allows dogs under applicable local and posted rules. Caras Park hosts concerts and farmers markets, so check current hours and event schedules before a late visit, and the flat Kim Williams Trail is an easier river-level option.