Four Dances Recreation Area

Four Dances Recreation Area is 765 acres of undeveloped open space about 2 miles east of downtown Billings. Four Dances has been designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern and as a Special Recreation Management Area. The local landowners, the Yellowstone River Parks Association and the Bureau of Land Management worked together to have this land transferred into ownership by the BLM in 1999. The objective was to protect and preserve this open space with its natural and cultural resources intact, and to provide dispersed recreation opportunities close to the city of Billings.

Four Dances Recreation Area is available for hiking, environmental education, nature photography and wildlife watching but is available for non-motorized day use only. As part of being a designated Area of Critical Environmental Concern, what is not allowed on the property is use of fireworks, rock climbing, horseback riding, hang gliding, shooting of firearms, exercising pets without a leash and paint ball activities.

Four Dances is bordered on the west by the Yellowstone River, and on the east by Coburn Road. The south end of the property drops down onto the Yellowstone River riparian plain with its many large cottonwoods. The cliffs around this plateau drop between 200' and 500' to the river. Four Dances Recreation Area has no fees and is open year-round for day use only.

A view of Billings across the river from Four Dances Special Recreation Management Area
Billings is just across the Yellowstone River
A view of deer on the property
Looking down on some deer on a trail
A view at Four Dances Special Recreation Management Area
Map of Four Dances Natural Area
Photos and map of the Four Dances Recreation Area are courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management
 
Billings area map

Related Pages

Map courtesy of National Geographic Topo!