Zimmerman Park + Vitamin D
Get outside & enjoy some Montana sunshine on the rims at Zimmerman Park! There’s even a bathroom solution now as of 2018 and miles of dirt trail to walk, run or bike. Bottom line…if you haven’t been here….go. Vitamin D is much needed in the winter months in Montana, and you can get that with a beautiful hike at Zimmerman Park. For those of us who live in Billings…Zimmerman Park is the quickest way to feel like you are in the mountains with barely leaving city limits. I absolutely love the ponderosa pines and the cityscape and mountain views from the rims.
What to Expect
The walk is a dirt trail primarily with sandstone here and there and a small amount of paved and chip path. You can stay on the trails or wander off closer to the rims and soak in the view. There are inclines and declines or a more steady path if you prefer a more even ground. Expect some wind on top of the rims, but if you are tucked in by the trees, it breaks the wind and is more protected. All in all…we love getting out and enjoying the sunshine during the winter months on the rims.
Review – 4 Star
We love Zimmerman Park in Billings, Montana. I will give this place a 4 star review for its amazing views, varied terrain, mountain biking trails and dog-friendly hiking trails. I only take one star away because the rattlesnakes in the summer scare me. Use caution and awareness and you’ll be fine though. I grew up on a farm in Wyoming and I’ve had too many encounters with rattlesnakes. Yes, at Zimmerman Park I’ve had one coiled up at me and ready to strike. But…breathe…I have gone back and in all 16 years I’ve lived in Billings I’ve only seen the one snake at z-town (the name we gave Zimmerman Park so our dog Duke won’t freak out knowing where we are going). Seriously, when we say Zimmerman…he loves this place so much…it sets off a complete melt down for Duke until we are there. It involves him whimpering and sprinting around the house, then the car and knocking over anyone in his way. Once we start to drive up Zimmerman Trail, he knows exactly where were are going and things get even more intense. It is his favorite place in Billings! Well, he really likes Norms Island also, it might be a tie.
Trail Development – Skyline Trail
The bathroom at Zimmerman Park was made possible by the generosity of Phillips 66 with their $60,000 donation. They, along with multiple sponsors, community supporters and volunteers have partnered with Billings TrailNet & are working to create the Skyline Trial. According to Billings TrailNet’s website, the Skyline Trail will be a beautiful new multi-use pathway along the Billings rims. It will make the beautiful vista atop the rims accessible to runners, walkers, bicyclists, and people using assistive mobility devices, and it will provide them with at least seven miles of continuous trail once it is fully completed. An underpass has already been completed under Zimmerman trail and the roundabout at the top of 27th street near the airport, but there’s still a stretch between the two parks that needs to be completed. The organization is working tirelessly with public entities such as the Montana Department of Transportation, The City of Billings, Billings Parks and Recreation and City County Planning Department to build the Skyline Trail connecting Zimmerman Park to Swords Rimrock Park. It is a $3 million project.
Want to help make our community the best place to live, work and play? If you’d like to help support trail development for our city, check out Billings TrailNet. You can buy swag or attend/sponsor events such as Ales for Trails, Tour de Fleur, Heart & Sole Run, Rims to River Race.
