Running trails in Billings, MT
Billings has 17 trails in the directory — 4 paved and 3 on crushed gravel or dirt, 2 loops that return to the trailhead, 1 shaded, and 3 open 24 hours. 14 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 4,989 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Lake Elmo State Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 1,137 reviews
This 64-acre park features a lake with swimming, boating & fishing, plus a 1.4-mi. hiking trail.
Riverfront Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,088 reviews
Park on the banks of the Yellowstone River offering walking paths, shaded seating & picnic areas.
Zimmerman Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 562 reviews
Park atop the Billings Rimrocks offering hiking & mountain biking, climbing routes & city views.
Two Moon Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 584 reviews
This tranquil park along the Yellowstone River has trails through meadows & woods, plus wildlife.
Swords Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 504 reviews
Unspoiled natural site on 60 acres offering year-round hiking & biking & seasonal picnicking.
Four Dances Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 213 reviews
Lookout points as well as steep trails featuring cliffs and river access on the Yellowstone River.
Shiloh Conservation Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 191 reviews
Preserve featuring paved pathways and a pond for fishing, plus bird-watching.
Norm Schoenthal Island
4.8 ★★★★★ 154 reviews
Scenic park with walking trails and access to the Yellowstone River, popular with dog owners.
Phipps Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 123 reviews
Frisbee golf facility and hiking trails in a picturesque park with cliffs and caves.
Rimrock West Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 73 reviews
Park with a playground and a paved trail for walking and biking.
Trails End Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 71 reviews
Compact park featuring playground equipment, as well as horseshoe pits and picnic tables.
Yellowstone River Trail
4.2 ★★★★☆ 23 reviews
Lampman Trail
4.3 ★★★★☆ 8 reviews
Myers Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 6 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Billings
- Match the surface to your legs. Billings gives you a choice: 4 paved, 2 natural surface, 2 mixed, and 1 crushed gravel. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More paved trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 2 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 3 trails in Billings are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 14 of the 17 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 5 have trailhead parking and 6 have restrooms in Billings. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 1 shaded, 3 that runners describe as quiet, 11 dog-friendly, and 2 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.