Events Extra Info

- 2009 Trail Trek Registration Form
- Community Conversation Poster
- Ales for Trails Corporate Sponsor
- Ales for Trails Individual Sponsor
- 2007 AFT Sponsor Presentation

Past Event Highlights

- Magic City Trail Trek 2008
- Bike, Walk Bus Week 2008
- Ales for Trails 2007
- Trail Census Results 2007

BikeNet Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Magic City Trail Trek - June 7, 2009
Heart & Sole Run - June 13, 2009
Traffic Skills 101 Bicycling Course - Friday and Saturday, June 19-20, 2009
NAMI-Billings Bike Ride - August 8, 2009 (8:00 am - Noon, Molt Community Center)
9th Annual Ales for Trails at the Depot - September 25, 2009; more information coming soon!

Magic City Trail Trek

Come join the Magic City Trail Trek on Sunday, June 7 at 11:00 AM starting in the Upper Parking Lot of Metra Park. Trail Trek is an event promoting a healthier community and the multiuse trail system in Billings.

Families are invited to walk, bike, rollerblade or jog the 6-mile out-and-back course on the Kiwanis Trail, ending with a picnic/barbecue at Earl Guss Park. Fun festivities will include a raffle for fabulous prizes, entertainment by local bands, as well as refreshments along the way. Mark your calendars and bring your rollerblades, bicycles, skateboards, joggers or walking feet to the Metra on June 7. Same-day registration will only be from 9:30 – 10:30 at the Metra Park Upper Parking Lot.  Please register early. Registration form.

September 26, 2008:
8th Annual Ales for Trails @ The Depot

The 2008 Ales for Trails was an outstanding evening with great music, and the biggest selection of micro-brews this side of the Yellowstone.

Ales for Trails is Bikenet's major source of funding for continued building on a community-wide trail system. In the past 7 years, we have raised more than $100,000 for trail construction helping to earn Billings the title of "Green City" in Organic Gardening magazine. All the money raised is leveraged with grants and other funding sources to make an even bigger impact.

This year many individuals and organizations committed to making Ales for Trails 2008 another success. You too can be part of making more trails right here in Billings right now. Use the sponsor form link at the top of the lefthand column to make your contribution today.

Please thank these businesses and individuals for supporting Billings trails in 2008:

Recent Events

Trail Trek 2008

Trail Trek 2007 was such a big hit that the City of Billings hosted the second annual Trail Trek on Sunday, June 1, 2008 as part of the celebration for National Trails Day. The Trek started as part of the Go Play! campaign created by Dr. Sarah Keller and Montana State University-Billings communications students. Initially the goals of the campaign focused on promoting physical activity and awareness of local trails with the intent of motivating, activating and educating people to engage in healthier lifestyles through pedestrian modes of transportation. This year, Dr. Keller’s class and Dr. A. J. Otjen’s marketing students collaborated on year 2 of the Go Play! campaign with the goals of promoting cleaner air, physical activity, mass transportation (MET transit) and nutrition. 

This year's Trail Trek once again included biking, walking, jogging, rollerblading, and skateboarding on the Dutcher or Kiwanis Trail with live musical entertainment along the way. During morning registration, participants were serenaded by the Quick Sound Barbershop Quartet. Along the trail, there was entertainment for everyone's taste with the F4 Funk Jazz Band, guitarist Ryan Kabeary, the Senior High Drum Corp, Elizabeth Adcock on the bagpipes and the Billings Fire Department showing off one of their fire trucks. The day ended with live music by the Mojo Catz and a barbecue lunch at Earl Guss Park. It was a great family event and the weather was absolutely perfect.

The Trail Trek also included a raffle drawing for an adult bike donated by The Spoke Shop, a kid’s bike donated by The Bike Shop, a $100 gift certificate from The Base Camp, a 3-month family membership at the YMCA, a $150 car detail from Underriner Motors, a $25 cash card from Poet’s Street Market, and a couple of canvas totes from Pepsi. Trails got an extra bonus from the Raffle Drawing. Joni Harmen won the kids bike and didn’t have an immediate kid to give it to so Trisha Parkam bought the bike from Joni for a $200 donation to BikeNet for the trail system. Helmets at a reduced price were also available for sale through ThinkFirst, a joint effort of the Billings Clinic and Saint Vincent Healthcare. Many people commented on what a fun event the Trail Trek was, so it looks like it’s here to stay. 

The continued success of Trail Trek is due to a core group of supporters and organizers including Stella Fong, Kathy Aragon, Mary Peet, Linda Byam and Darlene Tussing. Thanks also to the continued efforts of Bruce Larsen who mowed and readied the park for the day's activities. Other contributors to Trail Trek 2008's success were Billings Clinic, Saint Vincent Healthcare, City/County Health Department, EconoPrint, Bresnan Communication, Sean & Nicolle O’Donnell, Albertsons, Costco, Log Cabin Bakery, Enzo’s, Billings Dematology and Skin Cancer Clinic, Famous Dave’s Restaurant, and Adam Schaffe with all his power connections. 

Bike Walk Bus Week 2008

In celebration of National Bike to Work Week, Billings hosted its second Bike, Walk, Bus Week. The event encouraged businesses and organizations to offer incentives to their employees and/or the public to use alternate transportation modes during the week. Billings patterned some of its activities after Missoula's successful 17-year old campaign, but we also grew a few of our own this year. 

Back by popular demand was the Sneakers, Spokes and Sparkplug Challenge hosted by Yellowstone Valley Citizens Council along with a free barbecue for particpants who used alternate transportation to come to the event. This year twelve teams participated (including the Billings Gazette, McCall Development, Vella Bella's, and the Outlaws) and once again the bikers won the event. Even most of the walkers and runners came in before the car drivers. YES for people power! (List of all public incentives and events.) We also had more organizations providing incentives and rewards for employees this year. 

We’re hoping this type of celebration helps change some people’s habits toward a more active, healthy and "CAR-free" lifestyle. A special “Thanks” to everyone that helped make this such a successful undertaking. 

2007 Ales for Trails ...
It Happened in a BIG Way for Billings Trails

A crisp autumn evening was the perfect backdrop for one of Billings’ most-loved Micro-Brew Festivals, Ales for Trails. Ales for Trails guests enjoyed a flavorful selection of regional microbrews, danced to tunes from the Mojo Catz, and were surprised with the wonderful sound of Chris Cunningham from Story Hill, out of Bozeman.

The legendary Trail Room was the hot spot, though, with people pouring over maps to see all the trail segments, connections and bike lanes Billings now has….we’ve come a long way, baby! But the sight to see was the plethora of bikes lined up along the west side of the Depot. There’s no two ways about it….2-wheels or 4-wheels, pedal or drive, a lot of great people came out to support this fundraiser for trails.   Thanks to our broad-based support and help from our exceptional sponsors and cadre of volunteers, Ales for Trails netted about $35,000 this year. Simply put, that translates into more trails for Billings. Don’t miss out next year, mark your calendars now for September 26, 2008, and have fun while helping trails.   If you would like to be a sponsor or be involved in for Ales for Trails 2008, please contact Kim Prill at kjetprill@hotmail.com 2007 AFT Sponsors Slide Show