Missoula Montana has a 16,000 square foot skatepark completed by Grindline in 2006. I saw video of this either on Fuel TV or Tony Hawk’s Skatepark Tour. I thought it was going to be huge. It’s pretty good sized, but not nearly as mammoth as it looked on TV. I think it’s pretty safe to say that any skatepark is going to appear smaller in real life, but I haven’t been to Lake Cunningham yet.)
Here’s a couple of panoramas to start you off with.
The main street area, the part that seems to get used the most.
MissoulaSkatepark.org gets good “press.” I need to figure out how to get Skate and Annoy immortalized in concrete.
Hats off to the city planners in Missoula who did not succumb to “sports complex” fever by sticking this way out in the middle of nowhere. It’s right off the main drag, and right next to the river if you need to cool off. I can’t completely knock the sports complex though. This was a family vacation after all, and we did end up hitting the best public pool ever, otherwise known as Splash Montana. Great water slides, a lazy inner tube river, lots of small spraying things for the tykes. Adult non-resident admission was only $5.75.
Another park overview shot.
These banks look fun, I wonder what you could use them for?
Something like this, maybe? This guy’s name is Dutchie. I was hoping to stoke a local by posting his picture on Skate and Annoy, but it turns out he’s actually from Portland. Dutchie rides for Original.
Here’s a shot of the single bowl. You can’t see the steps, but they are pretty big. There’s a good sized waterfall there and the shallow is mellow, but not nearly as mellow as St Ignatius.
The middle bowl starts off mini sized and gradually ends up pretty deep. The cradle actually has a little dip in it.
Another shot of Dutchie.
16 comments
sugargnar
kid kills it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCehThvaLrs
mezmer
Last weekend I was at the Mid-Altantic Skateboard Series contest at Olney, Md. I had never seen anyone ride a longboard in a bowl…ever. This dude Nino was carving that bowl like he was surfing a killer wave. It was incredibly cool. I don’t ride a longboard but seeing that first hand gave me a new appreciation for those dudes that do.
Rich
I hope to Skate-and-Annoy that you actually got an opportunity to roll this park Kilwag?
kilwag
Yes, of course, but it’s hard to photograph yourself skating! It was a family vacation. I pretty much skated with my son and niece an nephew the whole trip, while the rest of the family was out soaking up the culture or lack thereof.
TheDickCancer
Polson, Whitefish, Butte, Dillion, Anaconda, Missoula, Great Falls, uhh,I probably missed a few. Montana will never be what Oregon is…even though it does have some of the best parks in the world.
Prickly Pete
Thanks for that complement, Dick Cancer. I know we’ll never be Oregon what with your green heart stickers and artisan cheeses.
You must have been texting this while driving your VW van home from the brewery, cuz you left some out… uh like the DL revamped Helena park, and DL’s Kalispell creation, the soon to be built Bozeman expansion, Hamilton, Libby, Big Sandy… More concrete per capita here than anywhere else I’m gonna say.
So Mr. Cancer, I turn my camo hat backwards and challenge you to an arm wrestling match that will decide whose skate scene is better once and for all. Come down off that Oregon-fixed-gear-high-horse and let’s settle this!
me
why is he riding a longboard in a skatepark. pretty kooky
kilwag
Even kookier to judge him by the length of his board. He was tearing it up. Better than every short boarder there actually. You should see him ride. Skateboarding is skateboarding, no matter how long the board is. Dig up some back issues of Thrasher and you’ll learn that before the current culture of hate, longboards were respected.
me
no i longboard as well as skateboard and maybe kooky was the wrong word but imagine what he could do on a regular shaped or elongated board
curtis
this is a fun park, good nightlife etc. across the bridge
Tbone Malone
Dutchie is a Montana Native he just lives in Portland currently
luke
lake cunningham is really fucking sweet, i was there in may.
it’s no black pearl, though…
been there 3 times now.
different layouts, different flow.
all skateparks are awesome and fun, unless you are not.
even the little shitty ones.
Rich
We had a great time at the Missoula park last year along with many other great spots in Montana. I’ve heard it said, Montana is the new Oregon. Believe it.
mo
wait…i thought Colorado was the new Oregon?
Rich
Possibly? Or maybe Colorado is the new Washington? Whatever the case, thank the skate-gods that we have access to all these great skater design/build parks and then some. 🙂
Chris Strople
Go check out Polson and Whitefish…..fun and awesome views…CS