5 Best Places to Hide in Billings?

Did you read the story in the news this week about the dude who hid out at the Chicago O'Hare airport for THREE MONTHS because he didn't want to fly back to California and catch COVID-19? NPR reported the 36-year-old man is now facing a handful of charges, including criminal trespass in a restricted area of an airport and misdemeanor theft charges. He somehow managed to steal an employee work-badge/ID that surely helped him avoid getting caught while basically camping out at the airport.

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It's fairly alarming this guy was able to avoid detection for so long (in a supposedly a very secure place) and the story got me thinking of places in Billings a person could hide out without generating much attention. We're not a huge city and while Billings is growing we're still a somewhat close-knit community, so it might not be as easy to hide out undetected as you'd think.

Here are some ideas though.

Rimrock Mall. Avoiding the crack security team at the mall might be the only issue here. Foot traffic at major malls around the US is dwindling and at many times it's pretty quiet at Rimrock Mall as well. Maybe a little too quiet for successfully hiding out?

Scheels. One of the biggest retail shops in Billings seems like an ideal place to maybe just kind of blend in? There's plenty of food, warm clothing and shoppers to keep you company during the day.

The Rims. We've all heard about the secret little caves and cubby holes dotted amongst the Rimrocks. You might have to fight for your hiding space here though, as they're often semi-occupied by transients. Plus, staying warm in the winter would be a challenge.

The old Sears building on Grand. Breaking and entering is illegal, but if you're hiding out from something in the first place, a ticket or night in jail is probably the least of your problems. If the power and water isn't turned off, you could hide out in the huge old Sears building for years and I don't think anyone would notice.

MetraPark. Hiding spots at the Metra seem to be disappearing a little bit, with the recent demolition of the grandstand and a couple of old livestock buildings. But there are still TONS of places you could probably hang out relatively unnoticed on the 189 acres the facility encompasses. Water and power would likely be fairly easy to find too.

Obviously we are not advocating trespassing in any form. Breaking and entering as well as squatting are illegal. This list is just for fun. Feel free to add any suggestions to the list by sending us a message on the Mobile App or leave a comment.