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The Magic City-Billings, MT

AKThumper

AKThumper

Fissah!
"When the Northern Pacific Railroad set its sights on southeastern Montana in the 1870's, the small town of Coulson saw
opportunity. They raised land prices significantly. the NP Railroad then chose to establish its own town rather than pay the outrageous prices. Thus, in March 1882,, the "Magic City"
was born. Seemingly overnight, like magic, Billings was established and became one of the most vibrant towns in the west."

Go to VisitBillings.com and take advantage of the best information and planning tools!

If you are a history buff plan a visit to the MOSS MANSION, located at 914 Division Street downtown Billings,
or the Western Heritage Center at 2822 Montana Ave, downtown.

The Pictograph Cave: three caves and an interpretive center. Take I 90 to exit 452, go 6 miles south (10 minutes) to 3401 Coburn Rd,
or Chief Plenty Coups State Park: take I 90 to exit 447 at Pryor (50 minutes),
Pompey's Pillar: Lewis and Clark Expedition, Breathtaking views of the Yellowstone River and an incredible informative interpretive center, head East on I 94 (28 miies, 30 mins).

Next up: the Billings Brewery Walking Tour
 
Billings, MT Brewery Walking Tour

Craft and Microbrew options abound with Montana's Trailhead, the only walking brewery tour in Montana.
The unofficial brewery district is located downtown and includes 6 breweries and a micro distillery. Only a 1.5 mile route
and there is history to be seen and discovered along the way.

1. Angry Hank's Micro Brewery 2405 1st Ave
2. Yellowstone Valley Brewing Co. 2125 !st Ave
3. Uberbrew 2305 Montana Ave
4. Billings Depot, Inc. 2310 Montana Ave
5. Trailhead Spirits 2314 Montana Ave
6. Carter's Brewing 2526 Montana Ave
7. Western Heritage Center 2822 Montana Ave
8. Angry Hank's 20 N 30th St
9. Himmelberger Brewing 3008 1st Ave N
10. Montana Brewing Co. 113 N 28th St
11. Skypoint (center of downtown Billings,look up)

And if Grapes are more your speed check out

Yellowstone Cellars and Winery, Simply Wine, and City Vineyard located throughout Billings!
See the Billings Guide Book for more.

Coming up next more recreation........
 
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Walk, Hike, Mountain Bike in the Magic City

There are excellent in-town treks available, and all less than 10 miles from downtown Billings.

Riverfront Park (S. Billings Blvd.) and Two Moon Park (Bench Blvd) are leisurely walks or bike rides along the Yellowstone River. The Weeping Wall along the northwest side of the park "weeps" water
year-round. Wildlife viewing is also an option.

Zimmerman Park (Highway 3) and Swords Rimrock Park ( Highway 3) and Phipps Park (Molt Rd.) all offer more challenging hiking, trail running, or mountain biking among the sandstone formations of
the Rimrocks. They also provide sweeping views of the city and surrounding areas.

Four Dances Recreation Area (Coburn Rd.) covers both sandstone heights and the rivers. Hike from the parking area to the edge of Sacrifice Cliff. Be aware the steep drop off along this trail reaches 500 feet
over the Yellowstone River. Additional trails lead down through the pine forest and end at the Yellowstone River.

Or just stroll through the Yellowstone Valley Farmer's Market on Saturday (www.farmersmarketonline.com)

Check out more information at the Visitor Information Center at 815 South 27th St. Billings, MT (800)-735-2635 Mon-Fri 8:30-5:00PM / visitbillings.com


Tomorrow: FISH ON!!
 
Wade, float, or fish?

Non-Resident Conservation license is $10.00 required for fishing or hunting; Non-resident fishing license is $15-$60.00 depending on the duration of the license.
All fishing licenses can be purchased at Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks office (404) 247-2940 or at most sporting goods retail stores.
They were not kidding when they said a "River Runs Through It"!
The Rock Creek, the Stillwater, the Boulder, the Musselshell, the Big Horn, the Yellowstone all rivers nearby Billings; also the Cooney Dam and Deadman Basin Reservoir.
Not to mention the headwaters of the Missouri River.

Tomorrow: Riding and driving Big Sky Country
 
Riding Big Sky Country

In April 2011 readers of American Motorcyclist magazine ranked the 15 best motorcycle roads in America, three just so happen to be in Montana.
#9 was U.S. Route 12 -Lolo Pass and the Northwest Scenic Byway, #6 was Going To The Sun Road in Glacier National Park, both of these are a "few
more miles" away from Billings to the West. So if you are coming in from the West Coast areas these are great roads. The number 1 road?

That would be Highway 212, better known as the Beartooth Highway. Located a mere 60 miles from Billings.
The Beartooth offers glacial lakes, wildlife, and spectacular views from some spectacular heights.
Also multiple 90 degree corners, and at times some traffic, so I take full advantage of the pull offs to do my sightseeing.

There are several other "Loops".
Little Bighorn Loop (260 miles)
Pompey's Pillar Loop (195 miles)
Bighorn Mountain Vista Loop ( 150 miles)
Best of the West Loop (255 miles)
Custer's Last Loop (400 miles)-maybe a two dayer?
Chief Joseph Scenic Byway Loop ( 247 miles) My favorite with huge sweeping vistas, fabulous rock formations, and at the other end only a few more miles on to Cody, Wyoming
which has the most fascinating museum, and an outlet store. To be honest when I got to the T intersection headed for Cody, I turned around and rode the Chief Joseph back
and over to Red Lodge. It was that good. Eventually worked my way back to Cody!

A few books worth perusing are Motorcycling Montana by Cole Boehler; the maps, write ups are broken down by region, and gives a good "feel" for the distances;
the other is Camping Montana by Kenneth L. Graham

Not sure what is up next, check back!
 
Yellowstone National Park
Take Hwy 212 to Yellowstone via Red Lodge and Cooke City (130 miles)

For Park info call 307-344-7381 or www. nps.gov/yell

Red Lodge is definitely a charming resort town. A small mining village with antique and Western stores,
boutiques, fine dining, a great sheet metal sign making shop, as well as just the local scene. Take I-90
to Laurel, exit then south on Hwy 212 (60 miles). Check it out at www.redlodge.com
 
"Traveling for days without food or water, galloping on tired horses, and following a controversial commander, the 7th Cavalry collided with an
overpowering Sioux and Cheyenne village in the Valley of the Little Bighorn. On June 25, 1876, the infamous General Custer, 263 soldiers, Crazy Horse,
and over 3000 warriors clashed 60 miles southeast of present day Billings. "

Little Bighorn National Monument near Crow Agency, on I-90 at exit 510. Walk the battlefield, learn more at the visitor center, walk through the cemetery,
and view the Native Monument. www.nps.gov/libi
 
AKThumper said:
Yellowstone National Park
Take Hwy 212 to Yellowstone via Red Lodge and Cooke City (130 miles)

For Park info call 307-344-7381 or www. nps.gov/yell

Red Lodge is definitely a charming resort town. A small mining village with antique and Western stores,
boutiques, fine dining, a great sheet metal sign making shop, as well as just the local scene. Take I-90
to Laurel, exit then south on Hwy 212 (60 miles). Check it out at www.redlodge.com
Click to expand...

A route that I prefer is to take I-90 west from Billings to Columbus, leave the interstate at exit 408 and take Hwy 78 to Red Lodge. Hwy 212 can get pretty busy in the summer and the scenery is nothing to brag about. Not uncommon to encounter herds of cruisers ambling down the road at a slow pace. Hwy 78 offers many long sweeping corners, good line of sight, very little traffic, decent road surface and I've never encountered a LEO on the road. A good road for some safe, legal, yet spirited riding. Stop at the Dew Drop Inn in Absarokee for their fried mushrooms.

From Red Lodge you can ride Beartooth Pass to the Chief Joseph By-Way. At the end of the Chief Joseph where it intersects with Hwy 120, you can either head to Cody, WY (45 miles) and visit the Buffalo Bill museum (if you are into guns it will blow you away), or head north on 120 to 310 and back to Billings.

About 260 miles if you go to Cody.
 
Traveling through the National Parks in summer season requires patience. There is also a fee that needs to be paid,
usually $12.00-$25.00 per vehicle, good for 7 days, but purchasing the yearly National Park pass at $80.00 will save you money in the long run;
(it is good for one year from date of purchase) Especially if you plan on entering Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. There is usually a separate entry line
for those who purchased yearly passes--much faster!
not to mention the pass also gets you into every National historic Site--you cannot miss Devil's Tower or Pompey's Pillar.

There is also a Senior pass available for $10.00 per your lifetime if you are over age 62. There is a military discount for those on
active duty (it does not apply to retirees, don't know why). I have heard rumors that entrance fees may be going up at National Parks
this year, and I do not know if that is the case or when it will take effect. It does not matter where you purchase the pass, it will get you into all
of the National Parks, however, your money will stay at the park where it is purchased.

I purchased mine at Canyonlands NP in Utah, then used it at Arches NP, Capitol Reef NP, Glen Canyon N Rec, Grand Staircase Escalante N Monument,
Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, and Zion NP, during a trip to Utah last summer. Well worth the money!
 
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Good idea on the annual pass

I just searched information on the annual pass and it is $80 but you can have two people on the pass. It says the two owners don't have to be related or married. So $40 each if you have a buddy.
:)

Different rules if you're over 62.
 
WI Sharon said:
Different rules if you're over 62.
Click to expand...

The senior pass ($10, good for your lifetime) has got to be the biggest bargain ever. Have gone to some parks where they let three other bikes in on my pass. Other parks where it was good for only my bike. It's up to each park, I'm told.
 
I never pay at those parks. Fee, not me! I already paid, or something.
Anyway, one thing I am trying to figure is how to get to Billings, and my thought for sure is Banff and Jasper first. Then Glacier, both Canada and the USA, then Billings.
So maybe I'll just sit or stand around Billings and watch the people stand around and talk about motorcycles.
One of the best things about Montana is the proximity to Idaho, probably tied for first place with Colorado for best scenery, most dramatic scenery, and woodsyness.
I was watching last night about the Nez Perce battle about Hell's Canyon. Riding along the Payette, the Salmon, and the Snake rivers was my favorite rides of last year.
And I'll get more of it this year, I hope.
dc
 
Thanks for the info, good to know!

Cody, Wyoming

The town holds a nightly rodeo June -August.

There is the amazing Buffalo Bill Historical Center (www.bbhc.org)

Trail Town is a collection of historic buildings and artifacts.

Not to mention art galleries, unique shops, and recreational activities or the drive
through the Shoshone National Forest. cut over to Yellowstone and come in the east entrance
roam through the park taking in the Old Faithful Geyser and then head toward Canyon, then Tower Junction, picking
up highway 212 and riding the Beartooth back to Montana thru Red Lodge. There is a KOA campground
just outside of Red Lodge, which always seems to have room for one more motorcycle. There are many motels in Cody and
Red Lodge, making a reservation now is probably a good thing as it is peak season in July; last year I ran into many tourists from
Europe coming over for the Yellowstone experience, many had rented RV's.

While it could be 100 degrees making this ride in July, it could also be only 60 degrees. And it could very well be both on the same day.
Temps in Montana and Wyoming can drop suddenly when the sun goes down.
The passes in Wyoming are around 8000 ft, and those in Montana on this ride are over 10,000 ft.

More to come!
 
themayer said:
The senior pass ($10, good for your lifetime) has got to be the biggest bargain ever. Have gone to some parks where they let three other bikes in on my pass. Other parks where it was good for only my bike. It's up to each park, I'm told.
Click to expand...

Does the
$10 senior's pass work for Canadians?
 
I started out with a Glacier Pass a few years ago, but have now switched to the annual one. Located in Helena, I can run back and forth between Glacier and Yellowstone, and Grand Tetons.

Leaving Billings and heading for Bozeman:
Try the gorgeous drive through the Gallatin Valley and Canyon from Bozeman to West Yellowstone, Highway 191; I would suggest a slight detour onto
highway 287 up to Quake Lake and the Madison Canyon Earthquake Area. There is a very interesting free visitor museum/information site with
amazing stories about the earthquake from the survivors. And they also have very clean restroom facilities!
 
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