The stretch of the Yellowstone River that runs through Billings is our closest natural playground. Its miles of channels, islands, and beaches are at most 10 miles from the city center. But, the shimmering Cottonwood trees and the soaring Bald Eagles make it feel like you are floating through a riparian wilderness, hours away from civilization.
Our backyard section of this stream begins in Laurel, about 10 miles southwest of Billings on Interstate 90. Riverfront Park in Laurel offers a large concrete boat ramp for launching any kind of watercraft. About six miles downstream is Duck Creek Fishing Access Site (FAS), and another six or so miles beyond that is the Blue Creek FAS where you are back in Billings!
In Montana, the entire river channel and banks up to the high-water mark are available for public access. This means you can camp on beaches, fish the shorelines and float where you please. Our preferred family camping vehicle is a 14 foot inflatable raft that can easily carry coolers, camping gear, kids and dogs. And there’s nothing better than spending the night on your “private” beach knowing that when you take out, you’re only 10 minutes from home!
It's even better for day trip floats when the hottest days of summer arrive. By this time, the water is running cool and clear, perfect for swimming on a blazing afternoon.
If you are an experienced floater, you’ll appreciate the wide channels and easy navigation of this section where it runs Class I or II for most of the year. You can easily run an inner tube, a kayak, canoe, SUP or larger vessels. Motorized watercraft are permitted, usually jet boats, but traffic is light. I’ve spent many days on this part of the Yellowstone and did not see another boat.
If you’re new to the river experience, there are several resources in town that can get you started safely. Sunshine Sports stocks all the river craft and accessories you will need, and they have group float trips during the summer where you can learn the river with the safety of experienced floaters around you.
The Yellowstone River near Billings is a fantastic natural resource to hunt, fish, float and recreate. And the best part is that it’s right in our backyard!
