HISTORY                       The Mountain Crows valued the area that came to be known as the Clark’s Fork Bottom as a traditional hunting and gathering site because of its abundant game, good water and wild fruit; the trees at the base of the Rimrocks were sacred as a burial site. The recorded history of Billings begins in 1877, when a trading post and stage station called Coulson, after the local steamship manager, were established near what is now known as Alkali Creek. In 1882, the area was surveyed by the Northern Pacific Railroad and renamed after Frederick Billings, a former president of the Northern Pacific.

THINGS TO DO                 The 100,000 people of the Yellowstone Valley enjoy a dry, sunny climate with spectacular views of four mountain ranges: the Beartooths to the southwest, the CrazyMountains to the west, the Pryor Range to the southeast, and the Snowies to the north.  Recreational opportunities abound. Outdoor enthusiasts can backpack in the nearby Beartooth-Absaroka Wilderness and Custer 

Downtown Billings

Montana Fair in August

The First Interstate Building

and Gallatin National Forests, fish along Rock Creek and the Boulder, Stillwater and Yellowstone Rivers and their tributaries, and, within a short drive, hunt elk, moose, mule and whitetail deer, upland birds and waterfowl. Other forms of nearby recreation include downhill and cross-country skiing, canoeing and kayaking, snow shoeing and windsurfing on area reservoirs.

The climate for Billings is Semi-arid. The humidity is low year-round. The snowfall averages about 57 inches per year, but doesn't accumulate. The area has warm Chinook winds in February and March which bring Spring-like conditions during these winter months. The last frost can be as late as May 15th and the first frost usually comes about the end of September. Autumn is usually a typical Indian summer with mild days and cool nights.

Courtesy of The Yellowstone Western Heritage Center