Hiking Trails Near Billings: Hidden Local Walks

Billings residents this summer have shifted toward lesser-known walking routes in local parks, where daily foot traffic stays under 300 people on weekdays according to city trail counters.

The move comes as the city’s wellness programs expand access to outdoor activity, with more residents using parks for regular exercise instead of indoor gyms during the warmer months of 2026. Local health data shows a 22 percent rise in park-based fitness logs filed through the Billings Parks and Recreation app since January.

Routes off the usual map

One favored stretch begins at the south end of 19th Street West and follows an unmarked dirt path along the Yellowstone River behind the old railroad grade in the South Side neighborhood. Another sits in the Heights, where a gravel loop starts behind the baseball fields at Pioneer Park on Grand Avenue and winds through cottonwood stands before linking to a short climb toward the Rimrocks base.

Both spots connect to the larger Billings TrailNet system yet avoid the paved sections that draw out-of-town visitors to the riverfront near the convention center. Residents report finishing a 45-minute circuit at either location before 8 a.m. to beat any heat.

Numbers and next steps

City records from the 2025 Parks Master Plan list average weekday use at these two segments at 240 people, compared with more than 4,000 at the Zoo-adjacent paths. Parking at the 19th Street West pull-off remains free, while the Pioneer Park lot charges two dollars after 10 a.m. on weekends.

Anyone new to the routes can pick up a printed map at the Parks and Recreation office on 4th Avenue North or join the free Thursday evening group walk organized by the local chapter of Billings Walks, which meets at 6:30 p.m. near the Pioneer Park entrance. Trail conditions update daily on the city website.