There is an abundance of community pride that circulates around the expansive trail systems here in Billings. When you think of exploring one of Billings trails you can easily imagine soaking up views of the downtown skyline from the Rimrocks or strolling on various paved pedestrian trails that roll through established neighborhoods and parks. There’s one Billings trail experience that takes you down a path unique from the rest. The Light Bike Trail in downtown Billings is a walkable trail of wall mounted LED-lit bicycles, paired with beautifully unique painted murals that guide you through a number of downtown alleyways as a part of the Downtown Billings Public Art program.
The first time you see an installation of the Light Bike Trail you may initially wonder “Why is there a bike mounted on that wall?”, and the next thing you know, you’re drawn in by nearby art. Suddenly, you’ve found yourself in one of the many downtown Billings alleyways exploring a vibrant art experience. Each wall includes a QR code for you to scan with your mobile device for more information about the art in front of you.
The Light Bike Trail currently consists of nine LED-lit bikes paired with public murals by local and regional artists. The Downtown Billings Business Improvement District manages this public art project and has plans to add more murals and bikes to the trail as more funding and opportunities arise. You can explore the Light BikeTrail in its entirety with the aid of the digital Light Bike Trail map available on downtownbillings.com. The digital map lists the current locations and details about the completed murals. Paper Light Bike Trail maps are available for the public in the lobby of the ClockTower Inn, located at 2511 1st Ave N, or the Downtown Billings office at 102 N. 29th Street.
Prior to the Light Bike Trail public art project, alleyways were areas often overlooked by downtown visitors. The general perception was that they are dirty and oozing with undesired activity. As a part of the Downtown Billings Public Art program, an initiative that helps beautify downtown Billings, while also promoting public safety, the Light Bike Trail project created a landscape of clean, safe, and inviting alleyways in our downtown district.
Must-see pieces of the Downtown Billings #LIGHTBIKETRAIL
It’s hard to pick a favorite location on the trail. Many love the mermaid and sea-foam cruiser bike combo on the side of the Monte’s building and you would be missing out if you didn’t see the Sandstone Galley mural, it’s a beautiful collaboration from the gallery's artists. But the North 29th Street Alley is a favorite stop on the entire trail. That alley includes hundreds of overhead string lights, a large brightly colored mural of native Montana flowers done by local Fine Artist, Ruby Hahan and a large purple Triceratops painted by Red Lodge based artist, Janice Polzin.
One piece of art started it all
The Like Bike Trail project was inspired by a single 2019 Downtown Billings public art installation. The original mural, on the south alley wall of the Pub Station, was designed by Billings resident, Molly Schiltz. The mural depicts an artistically interpreted aerial view of interconnecting roads, walkways, bike trails, even alleyways transposed on the topographical view of our landscape with hills and mountains. The network of pathways is shown in the wake of an illuminated bicycle, one of Billings’ beloved modes of transport, recreation and community. That initial mural’s design is meant to show how connected our community really is both through our shared culture, as well as physically, from the bike trails off of the rims and river. The illuminated blue wheels of that initial Light Bike drew a lot of attention to a once overlooked alley space while its connected mural has found its way into hundreds of photoshoots and memories. This initial public art installation did more than depict how connected we are, it became a place of connection and a catalyst for the creation of the Light Bike Trail that further connects our community.
A second Light Bike was mounted in April 2021 on the North Wall of the Hedden Empire Building in the spacious N. 29th Street Alley. This second bicycle installation was not only paired with two new large scale murals but also partnered with an overhead lighting installation (a project partly funded by Big Sky Economic Development’s 2020 Space2Place Grant).
The community began to notice the positive impact the transformation of the two downtown alleyways had made on the perception of safety. Once these dark and overlooked spaces became lit and inviting, it didn’t take long for more property owners and businesses to ask for their alleyways to be included in the project. At the end of 2022 the #LightBikeTrail was awarded a $40,000 Montana MainStreet Grant from the department of commerce to complete the project and the first iteration of the trail was launched in October 2023.
I hope you now consider the Light Bike Trail as a part of your list of Billings trails to meander and explore. Each adventure will be different from the last. Should you snap a photo or two of your visit, please share it on social media to encourage others to venture and explore our downtown public art. And feel free to use #LightBikeTrail in your shared caption to further connect your adventure with the many other Light Bike Trail adventurers out there.
Story by Lindsay Richardson, the Communications & Outreach Director for Downtown Billings.
