BILLINGS — A $5.5 million project plan is in place to add a walking and biking trail leading from Rimrock Road to the top of the Rims along Zimmerman Trail.
The trail — which will be called the Stagecoach Trail — will help keep bikers and walkers safe by giving them an option as opposed to using the narrow shoulder of Zimmerman Trail.
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Billings TrailNet Executive Director Kristi Drake said it will be a huge addition to a community that thrives in the outdoors.
"It's just an active place where you get to see people you don't normally get to see," Drake said. "We just want to make it easy for everyone to get out and be active."
Drake said the Stagecoach Trail will fill a void in that part of town, making the Rims much more accessible.
“There is so much recreation up on the Rims, and no way to get there by foot or by bike, so this is a giant step,” Drake said.
The Stagecoach Trail, which is supposed to begin being built in 2027, is part of a much bigger plan to create a 26.2-mile Marathon Loop that connects all ends of Billings. Drake said there are six other projects that her organization is advocating for that would help make that goal a reality.
“It encircles the city and takes you from the Rims down to the river,” Drake said. "You could go from ZooMontana up to the Rims, and then down to downtown and to the river."
Drake said the Marathon Loop will take years to be completed, but would include other recent additions, including the Skyline Trail in the Heights and the proposed Yellowjacket Trail along North 27th Street.
“It’s really important for our community to be able to connect because where else do you get that?” Drake said.
But before Drake can get too excited about the Marathon Loop, she's celebrating the first step of that project: The Stagecoach Trail plan being approved.
“It's a great way to be in an environment that’s just friendly, where you’re out there with nature, getting sunshine," Drake said. "And it’s great for both mental health and physical health.”
