Billings, Montana
Today, Billings is a modern city, the largest in Montana with art galleries, hotels, dining, a major event center, and of course, amazing fly-fishing on the Yellowstone River.
Around Billings, seven mountain ranges can be viewed; The Bighorn Mountains with more than 200 lakes and two peaks that rise to over 13,000 feet and Black Tooth Mountain at 13,005 ft. The Pryor Mountains directly south of Billings rise to a height of 8,822 feet and are unlike any other landscape in Montana. They are also home the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range. The Beartooth Mountains are the location of Granite Peak, which at 12,807 feet is the highest point in the state of Montana. The Beartooth Highway, a series of steep zigzags and switchbacks along the Montana–Wyoming border, rises to 10,947 feet. Charles Kuralt described the highway as “the most beautiful drive in America”. The Beartooth Mountains are just northeast of Yellowstone National Park. The Crazy Mountains to the west rise to a height of 11,209 feet at Crazy Peak, the tallest peak in the range. Big Snowy Mountains, with peaks of 8,600 feet, are home to Crystal Lake. The Bull Mountains are a low-lying heavily forested range north of Billings Heights. The Absaroka Range stretches about 150 miles across the Montana-Wyoming border, and 75 miles at its widest, forming the eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park.
Some highlights are visiting the Western Heritage Center offering rotating exhibits, tour the Moss Mansion for a peak into the past, Pompey’s Pillar to see where William Clark of the Lewis & Clark Expedition carved his name in the limestone, and the Montana Gallery focuses on Western and Wildlife Art and showcases work by local artist.
In July 1806, William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark Expedition) passed through the Billings area. On July 25 he arrived at what is now known as Pompey’s Pillar and wrote in his journal “… at 4 P M arrived at a remarkable rock … this rock I ascended and from its top had a most extensive view in every direction.” Clark carved his name and the date into the rock, leaving the only remaining physical evidence of the expedition that is visible along their route. He named the place Pompy’s Tower, naming it after the son of his Shoshone interpreter and guide Sacajawea. In 1965, Pompey’s Pillar was designated as a national historic landmark and was proclaimed a national monument in January 2001. Pompay’s Pillar is a short distance from Billings and is worth the stop.
