Climate Connect: Smokier, hotter summers reshaping outdoor recreation
Emma Keinath-Lopez
By early October, clear crisp air and the goldening larches can make Missoula's hot and smoky days feel strangely distant. The worst of the smoke and heat has left, and what remains is an ever-deepening understanding of how both air quality and a changing climate shapes the lives of folks who live in areas that are increasingly experiencing these extremes.
Outdoor recreation and Montana are two peas in the same pod. Whether a lifelong resident, seasonal worker, college student, or Montana transplant––many people in Montana enjoy and value spending time outside. To be precise, about 96% of Montana residents agree that outdoor recreation is important for their quality of life, demonstrating how this outdoor lifestyle is woven into the fabric of Montanans, as well as being a source of pride in our state.
Imagine you go outside one day and experience something that isn’t too far from the reality of many Montana summers––orange skies, the flavor of smoke on the tongue, and perhaps some ash dusted on your car or bicycle. This scene is often enough for even the most-devoted outdoor-lovers to shorten or even avoid spending time outside.
This most recent smoke season of the Summer of 2026 was not the worst the wildfire smoke has been, yet it had many Missoulians (and Montanans alike) sheltering indoors during days that exceeded “very unhealthy” ratings on air-quality trackers.
The Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR), a local research institute in Missoula at the University of Montana, has new research on just how much climate-related changes affect outdoor recreation for Montanans.
ITRR, who studies recreation and tourism in Montana, explores the impacts of air quality from wildfire smoke on travelling Montana residents in a recent report. Through a survey of 4,464 Montana residents, the report found that air quality had a huge impact on Montanans and their outdoor recreation. The survey results showed that 77% of Montana residents adjust their outdoor activities during travel when there is smoke present, and 57% change their overall travel plans such as choosing different destinations, avoiding peak fire season, staying in hotels rather than camping, and avoiding outdoor-focused destinations.
When Montanans ditch their plans, this has an impact on the quality of life of many outdoor-loving Montanans, as well as the rural communities that benefit from regional tourism. Montana’s outdoor economy is important to our state––with $3.8 billion in economic impact and the support of 32,094 jobs––or 5.9% of employment in Montana. Hot smoky summers pose a threat to the commonly shared Montana value of outdoor recreation, as well as impact local and statewide economies.
Let’s move below the surface now––imagine you're a trout swimming in Montana’s rivers, but they aren’t as cool as you’d like. On a particularly hot day, the warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen, making it harder to breathe––which is quite stressful and dangerous!
Both anglers and fish feel the strain of a changing climate––albeit one in a more directly life-threatening way––that doesn’t just involve smoke. In Montana, when water temperatures pass a certain threshold or streamflow is too low, “Hoot Owl” restrictions are enforced, which were created to protect fish during periods of drought. These restrictions range in their severity, from preventing fishing during certain times of day to full river closures. By late July of 2026, more than 1,200 miles of Montana rivers were under afternoon fishing restrictions, which prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight to reduce stress on the fish.
A recently published ITRR report about Montana’s outfitting and guiding industry offers a tangible example of how a changing climate can affect the industry. The report includes a review of previous literature and data on climate’s effect on recreation activities (most notably fishing), as well as provides a space for outfitters and guides who work in Montana to share their own experience with changing environmental conditions.
In the report, about 64% of outfitters/guide respondents said that their business had been affected by closures or restrictions on public lands and/or waterways. Of respondents who had effects on business operations, most were from Hoot Owl restrictions (78%), along with land closures due to fire or restoration (50%). River restrictions and closures are symptoms of a larger issue––changes in our climate which are impacting the organisms within these bodies of water, along with the recreationists who utilize these resources.
Climate-related changes such as extreme widespread wildfires and warming water and air temperatures combined with lower stream-flows are unfortunately a part of life here in Western Montana, and beyond our state.
Why does gathering data on climate change’s impact on recreation matter? Tracking these changes over time is essential to help aid land managers in making informed management decisions based on longitudinal data of changing recreation trends. Also, if policymakers see how issues such as changing water temperatures and severe wildfires can impact Montanans’ quality of life and economy, that might paint the picture of just how important it is to support pro-climate policies, legislation, and solutions that reduce emissions and help communities adapt to the changing climate.
Smoke can change a family’s trip, and warm water can threaten a trout’s survival and end an angler’s day––but there is more that we can do besides experiencing these effects.
Missoula (and our wider Montana community) is home to numerous nonprofits and organizations that are working to make positive changes and raise awareness on the issues of smoke, heat, and low stream flow. Missoulians can volunteer at local organizations that are taking care of our waterways such as the Clark Fork Coalition or join Climate Smart Missoula’s local projects that educate folks on wildfire smoke and energy-efficient solutions.
We can also tell elected officials why reducing emissions and preparing for hotter summers matter to our communities. When you write a public comment or contact a representative, share what these changes have meant for your time outside or your livelihood. If outdoor recreation is part of what makes Montana home, protecting its future deserves our participation. And of course––vote!
Emma Keinath-Lopez is a science communicator and recreation researcher based in Missoula, MT. Climate Smart Missoula brings this Climate Connections Column to you several times per month. Learn more, sign up for our e-newsletter, and support our work at missoulaclimate.org.