Swords Park

Use East Airport Road and Swords Park Drive for the main access. Choose the closest trailhead for Boothill Cemetery, rim overlooks, paved jogging, or a longer Black Otter Trail connection.

Free trailhead and roadside parking serves the main access points. Spaces are limited at popular overlooks, and winter snow or events can change access.

Swords Park has both paved and unpaved jogging routes across exposed rim-top terrain. Natural sections may be rocky, uneven, muddy, icy, or close to steep edges.

The official listing includes restrooms, but seasonal availability is not guaranteed across all trailheads. Plan around the main developed access.

Yes. Swords Park and Black Otter Trail are designated for restrained pets. Keep dogs leashed, clean up waste, and control them near wildlife, cyclists, roads, and cliff edges.

Yes. Paved routes reach portions of the rim-top park and viewpoints, but grades, distances, curb conditions, and exposed weather vary.

General entry, parking, trails, historic site, viewpoints, picnic site, and open natural areas are free. Permitted events and programs may charge.

Snow, ice, high wind, lightning, wildfire risk, erosion, maintenance, and poor visibility can make exposed Rimrocks routes unsafe. Alcohol permits are not allowed.

Swords Park's official listing identifies a picnic site and restrooms but does not list a reservable park shelter. Rimrocks overlooks and much of the paved and natural trail network are exposed to sun, wind, lightning, snow, and changing visibility, with only intermittent natural shade. Carry water and sun protection, and return to a vehicle before severe weather rather than relying on trees, cliff edges, or restroom structures.

No conventional playground is listed at Swords Park. Billings describes this as a 60-acre scenic and natural Rimrocks park with paved and unpaved jogging trails, a historic site, picnic area, and restrooms, and Swords does not appear on the City's maintained playground list. Choose one of Billings' 38 listed playground parks for swings or climbing equipment; at Swords, keep children close on overlook approaches and away from cliff edges, loose rock, and fast trail users.

The City lists one picnic site within Swords Park's 60-acre scenic trail area, but it does not list a reservable shelter, grill, playground, or developed group facility there. Treat it as a simple first-come picnic stop and carry what you need. Alcohol permits are specifically unavailable at Swords Park. For a reservable covered gathering, choose one of Billings' separately listed park shelters instead.

No. Billings Parks and Recreation lists Swords Park as a scenic natural-area park with paved and unpaved jogging trails, historic sites, picnicking, and restrooms, but no pool, splash ground, beach, or designated swimming area. The Rimrocks are dry, exposed terrain; carry drinking water and do not treat drainage channels or stormwater as play features. Use a currently listed Billings pool or sprayground for managed water play.

Billings' Downtown Circulator reaches the Skyline Trail stop on the east end of the Rimrocks corridor seasonally from May 1 through September 30, generally on weekdays. That provides a trail connection toward Swords Park rather than service to every overlook or parking area. Check the current MET schedule, choose the exact trail destination, and plan the return before starting; the exposed Skyline Trail and park extend for miles.

The Rimrocks trail corridor connects the Yellowstone Kelly gravesite and interpretive area, Skeleton Cliff, and a route toward Boothill Cemetery, with overlooks across Billings along the way. Swords Park itself is a 60-acre natural and historic area with paved and unpaved jogging trails, picnic space, and restrooms rather than a single monument plaza. Choose the specific gravesite, cliff, overlook, or trailhead before navigating and expect exposed conditions on the rims.