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Major city · United States

BillingsBillings, Montana

Give Billings 1–2 nights as a Yellowstone or I-90 stop, not a destination: the Rims, Pictograph Cave and a downtown evening fill a day.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Jun–Sep
avoid Dec–Feb (cold, wind, snow); late Jul–Aug wildfire smoke
Airport
BIL
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Billings is Montana's largest city and the main airport and hospital hub for the eastern half of the state. It sits on I-90 at the junction with I-94, about 2 hours from the Beartooth Highway turnoff, so most travellers use it as an overnight or a meal stop on the way to Yellowstone. The sights are spread across a wide, car-dependent city: sandstone Rims trails, a 2,000-year-old pictograph site, a small downtown museum cluster and a minor-league ballpark. Two nights covers it; one night is enough if you only want a bed and dinner.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Billings, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfast$10–18
  • BeerDraught beer in a downtown brewery$5–8
  • Metro or bus rideMET Transit bus fareExact change; no Sunday service$1.25
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (Moss Mansion, Yellowstone Art Museum)Free hours exist at some museums$12–15
  • Budget bedFamily room (up to 4), a night, per roomUS$150
  • Mid-range bedChain-hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$150
  • High-end bedChain-hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$260

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$150 · High US$260

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

The Rims sandstone cliffsPictograph Cave State ParkPompeys Pillar and the Lewis and Clark signatureMontanaFair and the NILE rodeoBeartooth Highway gateway to Yellowstone
Airports
BIL Billings Logan International Airport (On the Rims about 3 km north of downtown; served by Allegiant, American, Alaska, Delta, Frontier and United, with Denver, Salt Lake City and Minneapolis the main hubs. Cape Air links smaller Montana towns.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Billings: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

2°C

−9°C

6 rd

Feb

4°C

−8°C

6 rd

Mar

10°C

−3°C

8 rd

Apr

15°C

1°C

9 rd

May

20°C

6°C

11 rd

Jun

26°C

11°C

10 rd

Jul

31°C

15°C

7 rd

Aug

30°C

14°C

7 rd

Sep

24°C

9°C

7 rd

Oct

16°C

3°C

7 rd

Nov

8°C

−3°C

6 rd

Dec

3°C

−8°C

6 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the practical choice: sights are 5–25 km apart and MET Transit runs only nine weekday/Saturday bus lines with no Sunday service. Downtown is walkable on its own. Taxis use fixed zones; Uber and Lyft operate. A paved trail network runs along the Yellowstone River and the Rims.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Pompeys Pillar National Monument

go

Door to door: About 45 min each way

I-94 east to exit 23, then a short drive on the access road

The only physical trace of the Lewis and Clark expedition; boardwalk with about 200 steps, allow 2 hours. Open May–Sep, $7 per vehicle.

Pictograph Cave State Park

go

Door to door: About 20 min each way

Drive southeast of Lockwood on Colburn Rd

Paved 1.2 km loop past three caves with rock art; $8 per vehicle, hours change by season.

Laurel

go

Door to door: About 20 min

I-90 west about 16 km

Separate town with its own main street; a half-day at most.

Hardin and Crow Agency

go

Door to door: About 1 h

I-90 east about 70 km

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is just beyond Crow Agency; a full day with the drive.

Red Lodge and the Beartooth Highway

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h to Red Lodge

US-212 southwest via Laurel and Columbus

The Beartooth Pass road is seasonal and closes in winter; sleep in Red Lodge rather than return.

Miles City

overnight

Door to door: About 2.5 h

I-94 east about 230 km

Too far for a comfortable return day; pair with Glendive.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown (26th–30th St, 1st–6th Ave)

Walkable to museums, restaurants and bars; best for one night without a car.

Westend / Shiloh Crossing

Chain hotels, Rimrock Mall and easy I-90 access; best with a car or a family.

The Heights

North of MetraPark on Main St; cheaper motels, 10–15 min drive to downtown.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–190 excl. bed
High
$190+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chain-hotel double room1 × 2 nights × US$150US$300
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$150US$600
Rental car, one day1 × US$80US$80
Fuel, 150 km of driving1 × US$18US$18
Pictograph Cave or Pompeys Pillar entry, per vehicle1 × US$8US$8
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$104
Trip total≈ US$285 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,140

2026 estimate in US dollars; flights and rental car excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Diner breakfast$10–18
Burger and fries$12–20
Draught beer in a downtown brewery$5–8
MET Transit bus fareExact change; no Sunday service$1.25
Rideshare, downtown to Westend$12–20
Museum entry (Moss Mansion, Yellowstone Art Museum)Free hours exist at some museums$12–15

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Billings is a normal mid-size US city: violent crime is concentrated in a few pockets and the main risks for visitors are winter road ice, long empty drives and summer wildfire smoke. Lock the car, keep valuables out of sight and avoid walking alone at night away from downtown.
  • Winter driving: I-90 and the Rims roads ice up and can close; check Montana road conditions before leaving.
  • Summer wildfire smoke can cut visibility and air quality for days — check air quality if you have breathing issues.
  • Distances are long: Yellowstone's northeast entrance via the Beartooth Highway is a full day each way, not a day trip.
  • Downtown bars and the brewery strip are quiet on Sundays; several restaurants close Sunday and Monday.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

BillingsBillings, Montana

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Billings; consulates are in Denver, Seattle and San Francisco, embassies in Washington, DC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Airport (BIL) to downtown: about 10 min by car; rideshare roughly $15–25
  • MET Transit bus: $1.25 exact fare, weekdays and Saturdays only
  • Rental car, one day: $50–130 before fuel

Say or show

  • Where is the airport shuttle? — Where is the airport shuttle?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Is this road open in winter? — Is this road open in winter?
  • How far is Yellowstone from here? — How far is Yellowstone from here?
  • Do you take reservations? — Do you take reservations?
  • Where is the nearest gas station? — Where is the nearest gas station?

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Billings. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep · avoid Dec–Feb (cold, wind, snow); late Jul–Aug wildfire smoke · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BIL: last flight arrivals, rideshare and taxi fallback, downtown versus Westend rungs.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: downtown museums, the Rims trailheads, MetraPark, Shiloh Crossing.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and cutoffs (Pictograph Cave, Pompeys Pillar, Moss Mansion, Yellowstone Art Museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Winter and smoke fixtures so I-90 and Beartooth closures can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources