Life in Billings: The Great Outdoors
One of the important aspects of life at Anvil has always been the natural beauty of where we work. Our five branch locations, which are strategically placed across some of our country’s most scenic regions, often play a major part in how our employees enjoy their life away from work.
From fly fishing to snowmobiling, perhaps none of Anvil’s branch locations encapsulate the spirit of the outdoors more than our branch in Billings, MT. Located in the south-central portion of the state, the metropolis sits at the seat of Yellowstone County – cradled between seven different mountain ranges.
Rhonda Laughman and family in the mountains of Montana.
The Beartooth Mountains infamously feature Granite Peak – the highest point in all of Montana.
“Billings is a great hub for all the outdoor adventures Montana has to offer,” Rhonda Laughman, Anvil’s Project Management Department Manager, affirms. “We camp, mountain bike, hike, run, fish, play golf, ski, water-ski … it’s so much fun.”
Camping in the Beartooth Mountains. Photo courtesy of Troy Hand.
Whether you’re enjoying a hobby or exercising your body – if you enjoy the outdoors, you’ll struggle to find a city with more options than Billings.
“The sheer number of outdoor activities just outside my door helps support my work/life balance,” Toby Erickson, Senior Project Manager, shares. “My favorite thing about living in the area has to be riding my motorcycle through the mountains.”
Toby Erickson’s motorcycle photographed at Beartooth Pass.
While Billings sits very much in the shadows of the mountains which surround it, Montana is home to a wide range of natural environments.
“I enjoy digging for fossils,” Troy Hand, Civil Structural Designer, reveals. “In Billings, you’re only a couple hours drive from a variety of regions with differing and interesting geological features and petroglyphs.”
“There’s a lot to love about life in Billings,” Bridger Flynn, Civil/Structural Engineer, affirms. “Hiking in the Beartooth Mountains, fishing on the Bighorn River, the long summer days, and winters spent in Red Lodge.”
The great outdoors are fundamental to the lives of our employees in Billings. However, despite its reputation as an alfresco haven, Billings is also Montana’s largest city.
“Billings is the local epicenter of our area – everyone around us comes ‘into the city’ for our shops, districts, clubs, bars, and to just have fun,” Devon McHugh, Civil Structural Designer, shares. “However, since Billings isn’t this huge metropolis, it often still feels like a small town.”
As of 2022, Billings has a population of just over 117,000 people – the second smallest of all our branch cities.
“It’s big enough to have all the amenities I want while staying small enough to support a reasonable commute,” Bridger Flynn affirms.
“Nothing is too far from the office,” Devon McHugh adds.
Despite its comfortable size, Montana boasts an exciting collection of restaurants, museums, art galleries, and more.
“I love trying out the different breweries in town and around Montana,” Rhonda Laughman shares. “Billings has some great local eateries and bakeries. My favorites are Le Fournil and Veronika’s.”
“The downtown location offers a lot of choices to go out and eat after work,” Greg Nelson, a Senior Civil Structural Designer, agrees.
In addition to great eats, Montana is also home to the Yellowstone Art Museum, the Billings Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Museum of Women’s History.
Like many of Anvil’s branch locations, Billings has the potential to be whatever you want it to be – with the spirit of the outdoors at the heart of everything.
