Your Community Guide to Southwest Billings
For the past few months on the blog, we’ve been breaking down all of the communities and neighborhoods throughout Billings in our Community Guide series.
When you’re reading through each guide, you’ll notice that Billings truly has a spot for everyone.
There’s a place for the person who loves to be among the hustle and bustle of city life.
There’s a place for the person who wants to feel like they’re living in a Hallmark movie.
There’s a place for the person who wants to be completely off the grid.
And there’s of course a place for the person who wants a solid mix of both - ‘burb life with a splash of city in the mix.
Our last stop in the series takes us to the southwestern part of Billings to an area that’s booming with growth, but also provides that true Montana feel that so many people are searching for.
These three communities combined are all 30ish minutes from each other and each bring their very own level of desirability for residents.
Meet Southwest Billings ⬇️
Living in Southwest Billings
Southwest Billings, which includes four major communities - Blue Creek, Duck Creek, Anafeld and Josephine Crossing - is a really unique area because it’s situated in a spot that makes it easy for you to access other parts of Billings without having to hop on the interstate.
It’s not right in the center of the downtown city life, but it’s also not as rural as Lockwood or Shepherd/Huntley.
Instead, these communities are perfectly fixed alongside the Yellowstone River and draws in families with kids, people who value tight knit neighbors and those who want easy access to the outdoors.
Josephine Crossing is one of the most notable neighborhoods in this area and really caters to families with kids with closely spaced homes, large front porches, garages and community green spaces.
This is a very walkable community that encourages outdoor adventure, with easy access to the Yellowstone River, an outdoor amphitheater for summer concerts and even a community garden.
Right down the street from Josephine is a similar neighborhood, Annafeld, that has been developed by the same company, only they are expanding the vision a bit more!
Again, this community is a huge draw for families with children and it’s really made for the people who want that tight knit neighbor feel. The houses are close together, kids are always playing in the yard and there’s that easy access to the river for plenty of outdoor adventure.
In Annafeld, there are some newly developed commercial and retail spaces so that it can be a true one stop shop for those who live there!
Just over the river, you can venture into Blue Creek and find properties that are a little more secluded compared to Josephine and Annafeld.
You really get the best of both worlds with Blue Creek because you feel like you’re in your very own slice of Montana heaven, but it’s still just a short drive away from all of the hot spots.
Similar to Blue Creek, Duck Creek is also a prominent spot for living in Southwest Billings and offers that “off the beaten path” feel while only being a few miles from town.
This area features beautiful Montana style homes and draws people in with the views and seclusion that most of the properties provide.
Notable Southwest Spots
For the Foodie:
Yellowstone Cellars & Winery - this family owned and operated winery has been serving up classic French and Italian style red and white wines since 2010. When you visit, not only will you get to taste delicious wine paired with pizzas, flatbreads and charcuterie boards, you’ll also get to take in gorgeous views!
Maple Moose Coffee & Pop Shop - Southwest’s closest coffee shop not only serves your favorite lattes and mochas, but they brought back the classic soda pop fountain experience to soothe your sweet tooth on days you need a tasty treat!
Canyon Creek Brewing - Billings first built from the ground up brewery and tap room, Canyon Creek offers craft beers centered in an environment that’s perfect for a night out with friends
Montana’s Rib & Chop House - this out west chain proudly proclaims their title of serving the best steak and seafood in Montna, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Idaho. While I’m usually all for a local option, this one makes the cut as a true Montana staple.
For the Adventurer:
Norm Schoenthal Island - a prominent part of Riverfront Park, Norm’s Island has over two miles of trails and is a popular walking spot. The biggest draw is that it’s an off leash dog park so you bring your fur baby to run free!
Riverfront Park - located near Josephine Crossing, this park offers beautiful trail and walking areas centered around Lake Josephine
ZooMontana - a true Billings classic, ZooMontana is a 70-acre wildlife park and is actually Montan’s ONLY zoo and botanical park. It’s a great activity for families with kids!
Briarwood Country Club - want to work on your golf game?! This golf community is one of the best in Billings, offering an 18-hole course with tons of scenery throughout, a casual dining restaurant that’s open to the public and a pool for members.
Southwest, Montana Schooling
If you live in the Blue Creek or Duck Creek area and have kiddos, they’ll be a part of their very own school district and attend Blue Creek School. This is another huge draw to the area because your kids will get the benefit of smaller classrooms and a more intimate learning environment.
The student population of Blue Creek School is less than 200 and the school serves PreK-6. After 6th grade, they will filter into Riverside Middle and Billings West High School.
If you live in Josephine or Annafeld, your kids will also have their own school district and attend Elysian School.
Elysian is another smaller school serving 400 students total, which means you can expect smaller class sizes and a tight knit group of students who live in the same community AND go to school together - pretty cool, huh?!
This district serves kindergarten through 8th grade and after that all students will filter into Billings West High School where they’ll yell, “go bears!”
So, what’s it gonna cost ya?
Southwest Billings is a very desirable area, both for those who want that more secluded feel OR those who want a tight knit neighborhood where their kids can freely play in the yard and hang out with their friends.
It’s the perfect place for those who value the outdoors and want to have easy access to adventure at any given time. Being so close to the Yellowstone River, you’ll be surrounded by many trails for walking and plenty of access for fishing and other outdoor activities.
It’s the perfect mix of being secluded, yet being able to access any of the hot spots that you desire without having to get onto the interstate.
With this level of desirability for each community in the area, you can expect the average cost of a single family home in Josephine or Annafeld to be $390-480K.
If you’re among the group of people that prefers to be in the Blue Creek or Duck Creek area, you’re looking at an average of $443,000 - $480,000 as of August 2024.
Ready to make a move?
Does Southwest sound like the spot for you? The market is hot in this area and I’d love nothing more than to connect and help you start your personalized home search!
P.S. Want a peek into all of the neighborhoods that Billings, Montana has to offer? Download the Ultimate Community Guide to take a look under the hood to what life could be like for you in this beautiful side of the state.
