Multi-million dollar homes line the Rims in Billings, offering spectacular views but a very real risk. Boulders weighing several tons have been known to crash down from the Rims onto houses below.
Watch more below:
Now, the city is working to shore up some of the most concerning areas along Zimmerman Trail.
Local artist Jon Lodge knows that risk firsthand. Almost 16 years ago, an enormous rockfall destroyed the home he shared with his wife, Jane Deschner, along the Rims.
"It was 120 feet long by 50 feet high and 25 feet thick," Lodge said.
The collapse was sudden and devastating.
"That's when the cliff face fell," Lodge said.
The rockfall destroyed their 3,600-square-foot custom-designed home.
"350,000, 3,600 square foot custom designed house... That was a lot of energy put into that event and that catastrophe," Lodge said.
Lodge said the threat of rockfall is something many homeowners along the Rims have long accepted.
"I think it's just natural. I think everybody has thought of it," Lodge said.
That includes city engineers. In 2025, the city contracted Terracon Consultants to perform rockfall hazard evaluations along Zimmerman Trail. Terracon identified an approximately 70-linear-foot-wide rock segment located about halfway up the trail that showed signs of undermining and stress cracking, conditions that could eventually result in failure and rockfall onto or near the roadway, and even houses below.
In March 2026, Terracon performed additional evaluation of the rock segment and developed a mitigation design.
Will Robbins, staff engineer and project manager for Public Works, is overseeing the mitigation effort.
"They identified an area that is most susceptible for a potential fall," Robbins said.
The proposed stabilization system would use anchor bolts, wire rope cabling, steel anchor head plates, and shotcrete to secure the rock segment.
The project, called Work Order 26-34, Zimmerman Trail Rockfall Mitigation, has received six bids, and Billings Public Works recommends awarding the contract to Global Rock Works, LLC for $232,000.
If the Billings City Council approves the project, Robbins said work could move quickly.
"We'll do that work this fall, and it should be done by November," Robbins said.
The project is anticipated to take no more than three weeks. Drivers on Zimmerman Trail should expect a road closure for the duration of construction.
"It'll be a good benefit because if those rocks fall, that's bad for everyone around," Robbins said.
Lodge, who rebuilt his life after losing his home, said the city's action is long overdue, but welcome.
"That's great... That's obvious, what should be done," Lodge said.
