Billings Travel Guide

The most populous city in Montana, Billings rivals Missoula for the honor of being the "most citified" place in the state. You'll find real shopping malls here, along with the tallest freestanding hotel west of the Mississippi, and the occasional 5 o'clock traffic jam. Since its 1880s development by Frederick Billings as a railroad town, the city has evolved into the economic hub for much of the eastern portion of the state and parts of northern Wyoming.Once a booming oil town, as well as a crossroads for the railroads, Billings has now positioned itself as the progressive regional medical center for all of eastern Montana, the Dakotas, and Wyoming. The economy is still based on cattle and grain, but downtown Billings boasts new banks and contemporary business centers, plus beautiful historic buildings in various stages of restoration. Billings also has its share of scenic splendor: From the heights of the city you can see three mountain ranges -- the Pryor Mountains, the Bighorns, and the majestic Beartooths to the west.