Article by Jessica Renstrom

Winter in Montana is a great time to get outside and explore! Our beautiful state offers a wide variety of enjoyable winter activities. Local businesses can help with gear, so you’ll be set to bust the winter blues with any of these outdoor adventures.

photo by Jamie Blotske

Downhill skiing

Red Lodge Mountain

Whether carving through fresh powder or tackling moguls and jumps, downhill skiing is an exhilarating experience. Fortunately, we don’t have to travel far to enjoy the slopes.

Red Lodge Mountain offers fantastic skiing and breathtaking views from the chairlifts within the Beartooth Mountain Range. One familiar chairlift (Miami Beach) was recently replaced in 2023 with a brand-new lift, the Stache Express. This high-speed triple chairlift travels farther up the mountain in less time and is named after Red Lodge Mountain’s General Manager Jeff Schmidt, and his infamous mustache.

Before planning a visit to Red Lodge Mountain, check its website, redlodgemountain.com. It is an awesome resource for viewing snow reports, signing up for lessons, and purchasing lift tickets.

Where to Get Gear: SkiBoot RX, 406.702.1530

Good gear is essential when skiing. SkiBoot Rx, located at 2490 Gabel Road in Billings, offers a wide selection of boots and skis and expert boot fitting, helping you find the gear you need to stay comfortable and safe.

photo by Seth Kroft

Cross-Country Skiing

Red Lodge Nordic Center

Cross-country skiing provides an excellent opportunity to enjoy the outdoors at a more relaxed pace than downhill skiing while still getting a chance to explore and move your body. Although you can cross-country ski in many places (even local parks), Red Lodge Nordic Center is a fantastic location to test out your skis.

Beartooth Trails leases and operates Red Lodge Nordic Center, just two miles west of Red Lodge. The center offers over 15K of groomed trails, a warming hut, and a restroom. It also offers special programs and clinics throughout the winter. 

Priced at just $10 for adults (children 12 and under ski free!), the Red Lodge Nordic Center offers an accessible and budget-friendly option for families to enjoy the winter weather together. beartoothtrails.org

Where to Get Gear: The Base Camp, 406.248.4555

The Base Camp offers a Cross-Country Ski rental package, which includes skis, boots, and poles. If you’re interested in buying, you can try out the gear beforehand to know it’s right with The Base Camp’s rental options.

photo by Lovely Hitchcock

Snowmobiling

West Yellowstone

If you’ve been snowmobiling, you know the rush of adrenaline that comes with gliding over the snow and feeling the crisp winter air against your face. That sensation is one that avid snowmobilers seek, and West Yellowstone is the perfect place to find it. West Yellowstone provides an ideal playground for snowmobile enthusiasts of all levels, with over 150 inches of snowfall each year and more than 400 miles of professionally groomed trails.

The trails in this area are easy to navigate, and guided snowmobile and snowcoach tours are offered daily. For a map of the trails, along with a grooming report, visit destinationyellowstone.com.

 Where to Get Gear: Back Country Adventures, 406.656.9317

Back Country Adventures rents exclusively late-model snowmobiles, giving customers access to the most current technology and reliable equipment. You can also rent clothing for your excursion, including helmets, gloves, suits, and boots.

Ice skating

at Centennial Arena

Ice skating is a classic winter activity and a ton of fun, whether you effortlessly glide across the ice or, like me, frequently fall and provide entertainment for your friends.

Centennial Ice Arena is the only ice skating and hockey facility in Billings. It has been providing chilly fun for people of all ages since 1982. Times vary, so check its calendar at centennialicearena.com/public-skate/before planning a visit.

Feeling a little unsure about taking to the ice? The arena offers “Learn to Skate” lessons for skaters of all abilities to learn the basics so you can confidently skate in just a few weeks. 

Where to Get Gear: Centennial Ice Arena, 406.256.1192 or Play It Again Sports, 406.652.3662

Centennial makes it easy to try ice skating, with figure and hockey skate rentals available right at the arena. However, if you’re interested in purchasing a pair of skates, visit Play It Again Sports to find a variety of new and secondhand equipment.

Sledding

at Pioneer Park

Speeding down snow-covered hills is a beloved winter pastime, and generations of sledders have careened down the snow at Pioneer Park in Billings. With a mix of steep hills and small slopes, the park is naturally suited to accommodate both thrill seekers and children who want a gentler ride.

The park does have some obstacles to be aware of, like the large trees and creek that spans the center of the park, but with some caution, you can spend the whole day having some good ol’ fashioned fun.

If the park is too crowded, try Rimpoint Park off Grand Avenue, west of Shiloh. With a moderately steep slope, this park is especially great for younger children.

Where to Get Gear: Scheels, 406.656.9220

Sleds come in various shapes, sizes, and materials, and Scheels of Billings carries a wide selection. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out the snowball makers and snow markers to keep the fun going when you’re tired of climbing back up the hill!

Embracing the Chill Boosts Your Mental Well-being

If you can work up the courage to wander outside in the cold, your body and mind will thank you. Nona Stockton, LCPC, in private practice with Billings Counseling Connection, explains how spending time in nature can give your mental health a boost:

●     Decrease Anxiety and Depression: “The distressing symptoms of anxiety and depression are caused by too much cortisol and adrenaline. Studies have shown that spending just 15 minutes outside can reduce your cortisol level and boost the production of ‘feel good’ hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, endorphins and oxytocin.”

●     Boost Vitamin D: “Sun exposure gives you vitamin D, which is essential for the body to produce serotonin.”

●     Engage Your Senses: “We’ve always had the saying, ‘you need to come to your senses’ to mean calm down. And there is real science behind that saying. Connecting with the natural world is a great way to engage all your senses.” When you engage your senses physiologically, you activate your prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that regulates mood by releasing those ‘feel good’ hormones: oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins.

●     Experience Awe: “Oxytocin, the hormone that makes a person feel calm, attached, content, and safe, is produced in response to awe.” Luckily, living near Billings makes it easy to be awe-stricken by the mountain ranges, the forests, the prairie vistas, the rivers, and the creeks.

 “Enjoying being in nature solo, with friends, your partner, or your pets, is a fantastic low-cost, natural way to improve mood,” encourages Nona. “Turn off your electronics and tap into your senses.”

Originally printed in the January 2025 issue of Simply Local Magazine

Check this article out in the digital issue of Simply Local here!

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