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Day Trips from Billings

Day Trips from Billings

The best excursions and trips you can do in a day

Home › Day Trips
Billings sits at the crossroads of Montana’s legendary landscapes, making it a perfect launchpad for unforgettable day trips. Within a two-hour drive you can trade the city’s Rimrocks for the Beartooth Mountains, Native American sacred sites, or small-town diners that locals swear have the best steak this side of the Yellowstone River. The region’s four-season climate means you can chase wildflowers in June, golden aspens in late September, or snow-dusted bison herds in December, all while returning to your Billings hotel for the nightlife or a cozy meal downtown. Exploring beyond the city lets you experience the true spirit of Big Sky Country without the stress of long interstate hauls. Whether you’re drawn to excellent fly-fishing, frontier history, or just a scenic drive punctuated by roadside pie, the variety of day excursions from Billings rivals that of any Rocky Mountain hub. Below you’ll find curated itineraries ranging from adrenaline-filled jaunts to mellow half-day escapes, each tested to ensure you’re back in time for a sunset stroll along the Rimrocks or a reservation at one of Billings’ fast-growing food halls.

Full-Day Trips

Worth dedicating a whole day to explore.

Red Lodge & Beartooth Highway

$50–70 (gas + lunch + optional chairlift)

Cruise America’s most scenic drive, climbing from prairie to alpine tundra in under an hour. Red Lodge charms with Old West storefronts and microbrews, while the Beartooth Pass tops out above 10,000 feet for jaw-dropping vistas.

Distance
62 miles
Travel Time
1 hour 10 minutes via US-212 W
Total Duration
8–10 hours
Transport
Private car or Red Lodge Shuttle (seasonal, weekends only)
Beartooth Pass switchbacksRed Lodge Historic DistrictWildflower meadows at Rock Creek Vista
Best for: Photographers, road-trippers, adventure seekers
Fill up in Red Lodge; there’s no fuel on the pass. Check the Beartooth Highway webcam for June snow closures.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

$20 (parking + entry is free)

Walk the actual ridges where Custer’s Last Stand unfolded. Interactive plaques, Native American memorials, and ranger talks bring the 1876 clash to life, and the rolling hills look much as they did 150 years ago.

Distance
65 miles
Travel Time
1 hour via I-90 E to US-87 S
Total Duration
7–8 hours
Transport
Private car or Jefferson Lines bus (once daily, book ahead)
Deep Ravine TrailIndian MemorialLiving-history talks at 10 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Best for: History buffs, families with teens, school groups
Arrive by 9 a.m. to join the first ranger walk and avoid midday heat in July.

Pompeys Pillar National Monument & Yellowstone River Float

$85–110 (entry $7 + float trip $75)

Climb the sandstone bluff where William Clark carved his signature in 1806, then cool off with a mellow float trip past cottonwoods and eagle nests on the lower Yellowstone.

Distance
42 miles
Travel Time
35 minutes to Pompeys Pillar; 15 minutes onward to boat launch
Total Duration
8 hours
Transport
Car; river shuttles provided by Lazy River Outfitters
Clark’s 1806 autographInterpretive river floatPrairie dog towns along the banks
Best for: Families, Lewis & Clark ensoiasts, anglers
Book the 10 a.m. float to catch calm water and active wildlife.

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

$60–90 (gas + kayak rental $45)

Kayak or motor among 500-foot red-rock walls that feel like Lake Powell in miniature. Bighorn sheep sightings are almost guaranteed, and the short hike to Devil Canyon Overlook is pure drama.

Distance
75 miles
Travel Time
1 hour 20 minutes via MT-47 N
Total Duration
9–10 hours
Transport
Car; rentals available at Bighorn Canyon Marina
Devil Canyon OverlookWild mustangs on Sykes RidgeHouseboat-dotted Afterbay Lake
Best for: Boaters, wildlife photographers, solitude seekers
Start early—afternoon winds can kick up whitecaps.

Custer Gallatin National Forest – East Rosebud Lake

$30 (gas + Forest Service day pass $5)

A postcard-perfect alpine lake framed by granite cliffs and larch pines. The non-technical trail is steady but doable for most hikers, ending at an emerald cirque that feels a world away from Billings.

Distance
78 miles
Travel Time
1 hour 30 minutes via MT-72 W
Total Duration
9 hours
Transport
Car; no public transit
Ice-cold swimming holeBackcountry waterfallMountain goats on the ridgeline
Best for: Hikers, families with older kids, nature lovers
Bring layers—afternoon thunderstorms roll in fast above 8,000 feet.

Makoshika State Park (Glendive)

$35 (gas + park entry free)

Montana’s largest state park hides badlands hoodoos, dinosaur fossils, and star-party skies. Short rim hikes lead to overlooks rivaling South Dakota’s Badlands, minus the crowds.

Distance
142 miles
Travel Time
2 hours via I-94 E
Total Duration
8–9 hours
Transport
Car
Capitol Rock TrailVisitor-center T-Rex skullSunset over the Breaks
Best for: Paleontology fans, solitude seekers, sunset chasers
Download the park’s audio tour before you leave—cell service is spotty.

Half-Day Options

Shorter excursions when time is limited.

ZooMontana & Yellowstone River Greenway Bike Ride

$12 (zoo admission; bike rental free)

Pack two micro-adventures into one morning: meet grizzlies and red pandas at Montana’s only AZA-accredited zoo, then hop on the paved Greenway for a 5-mile riverside spin.

Duration
3–4 hours
Transport
Car or city bus (Route 2 stops at Zoo entrance)
Close-up grizzly viewingFree bike rentals at Zoo kioskPicnic tables overlooking the river

Pictograph Cave State Park

$6 per car

A quick, kid-friendly hike to 2,000-year-old rock paintings just ten minutes south of downtown.

Duration
2–3 hours
Transport
Car or Uber (15 minutes)
Ghost Cave pictographsArchaeology dig pitBirding around the ponds

Downtown Billings Brewery Crawl

$25–30 (flight pricing)

Sample Montana craft beer without leaving the city limits—five walkable taprooms within eight blocks.

Duration
3 hours
Transport
Walkable or Lime scooter
ZooTown sour at ÜberbrewRooftop patio at Carter’s

Rimrocks Sunset & Swords Rim Walk

Free

A mellow 1-mile rim-top trail delivers sweeping city views, followed by golden-hour photos of the Yellowstone Valley.

Duration
2–3 hours
Transport
Car (10 minutes to Zimmerman Park)
360-degree sunsetRock-climbers on the cragsCity lights flicking on below

Day Trip Tips

Make the most of your excursions.

  • Fill your tank before leaving town—many scenic routes have 70-mile gaps between services.
  • Download offline maps; cell coverage fades quickly in the Custer Gallatin and Bighorn Canyon areas.
  • Start early in summer (6 a.m.) to dodge afternoon billings weather heat and thunderheads.
  • Pack layers even in June; mountain temps can swing 40 °F in a day.
  • Purchase a $20 America the Beautiful pass if you’ll hit 3+ national monuments—it covers Little Bighorn and Pompeys Pillar.
  • Book river shuttles and kayak rentals at least 24 hours ahead on weekends.
  • Check Montana DOT road reports for the Beartooth Highway; it usually closes by mid-October.
  • Bring cash for small-town diners—some still don’t take cards.

Explore Activities in Billings

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