Why visit Lolo
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 11 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Traveler's Rest and Traveler's Rest State Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; December lows average 18°F, and about 43 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Lolo
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lolo
Lolo is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Missoula County, Montana, United States. It is part of the Missoula metropolitan area. The population was 4,399 at the 2020 census, an increase from its population of 3,892 in 2010. It is home to Travelers' Rest State Park, a site where Lewis and Clark camped in 1805 and again in 1806.
From the Wikipedia article Lolo, Montana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks3
Traveler's Rest
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
American National Historic Landmark 1 mile south of Lolo, Montana
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes11
KT's Hayloft Saloon
Bar and pub · American · 1.6 mi
11885 Highway 93 South, Lolo
Lolo Creek Steakhouse
Restaurant · Steak House · 1.4 mi
6600 Highway 12 West, Lolo
History
The Traveler's Rest site, in Lolo, is one of the few sites in the nation with physical confirmation of the visit of Lewis and Clark.
There are several versions of the origin of the town name. One is a French pronunciation of the name Lawrence Rence, a fur trapper in the area. Another is the French name for Meriwether Lewis, "Le Louis". Or it could be based on either a Chinook word or a Nez Perce word. In addition to the town, a national forest, creek, mountain peak, mountain pass, hot springs, and historic trail are all named Lolo.
The 2017 Lolo Peak Fire burned thousands of acres 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Lolo, prompting evacuations and closure of U.S. Route 12.
From the History section of Lolo, Montana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship5
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 2.0 mi
6501 Mormon Creek Road, Lolo
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Healthcare1
Map of Lolo
45 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 18°F | 1.0 in | 9.9 in |
| Feb | 37°F | 21°F | 0.9 in | 8.5 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 27°F | 0.9 in | 5.0 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 32°F | 1.4 in | 1.3 in |
| May | 66°F | 40°F | 1.8 in | 0.3 in |
| Jun | 73°F | 46°F | 2.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 52°F | 0.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 50°F | 0.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 42°F | 1.0 in | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 56°F | 32°F | 1.2 in | 0.9 in |
| Nov | 40°F | 25°F | 1.2 in | 5.4 in |
| Dec | 31°F | 18°F | 1.1 in | 11.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Missoula Intl Ap 72773 (10 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Missoula County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Straight-Line Winds)
- 2024-08-23: Straight-Line Winds (Straight-Line Winds)
- 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-10-31: Flooding (Flood)
- 2017-09-09: Rice Ridge Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Missoula International Airport (MSO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 10 miles away.
- Orchard Homes 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Carlton 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Missoula 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Florence 10 mi south, about 15 min by car
- East Missoula 11 mi northeast, about 17 min by car
- Bonner-West Riverside 13 mi northeast, about 20 min by car
- Wye 13 mi north, about 20 min by car
- Frenchtown 19 mi north, about 30 min by car
- Corvallis 32 mi south, about 51 min by car
- Hamilton 36 mi south, about 58 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Lolo montana 01, Djembayz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Traveler's Rest State Park view of mountains 1 20121228, Djembayz, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.