It seems like many people blow off Wyoming as a boring place with not much to do in a state full of open, wind-blown prairies; I used to. The few times I had to drive through Wyoming it was windy and cold with nothing to look at. Of course, this is all true if you don’t leave Interstate 80, which spans the bottom quarter of the state from east to west. However, Wyoming has some of the most beautiful places you’ll ever see, and phenomenon not found anywhere else. Since I’ve only been to a few of them, here’s my take on one of a series I’ll write about.
Bear’s House
Devils Tower is a site you can see from great distances and is a National Monument you shouldn’t miss. It’s about six hours from Denver and nine from Salt Lake City. It’s said that Devils Tower was originally called “Bear’s House” by Native American tribes but was named “Devils Tower” during an expedition by Colonel Richard Dodge in 1875.
Regardless, this amazing monument is a sight to see and great for shorter trips. Unless you’re a rock climber, I think spending two days there is enough to see what needs to be seen. Rock climbers can be viewed scaling the 867-foot-tall rock formation for what are, I’m sure, amazing vistas. This could easily be turned into a multiple day adventure.
I went to Devils Tower at the end of July and the weather was fantastic (clear and low 80’s). We hiked the 1.3-mile trail around the base of Devils Tower taking in the sights of the megalithic tower and the panoramic views above the forested, rolling hills. The excursion to the base, including the walk and a tour through the visitor’s center, can be done in a leisurely four hours. We even took a picnic and sat marveling at the sights.
Comfortable Accommodations
We stayed one night in our trailer at the Devils Tower/Black Hills KOA. This campground was fantastic, even though it was busy. When we arrived, we found out that Sturgis was the following week (so much for planning). If you go, get a site on the northwest corner of the grounds. This gives you phenomenal sunset views of the tower and nearby red rocks lining the Belle Fourche River; the rocks seem to glow in the sunset light. The amazing, scenic backdrop and comfortably warm weather lent to a fantastic evening eating out by the fire pit. For us, this was followed by a short walk down to the river. I’d definitely go back for a relaxing stay.
Conclusion
If you need a short, relaxing weekend trip, think about Devils Tower, Wyoming. This can be one of those trips when you really need to decompress without filling the weekend full of activities. It can also be a great stay on a chain of stops across the badlands of America. The drive there isn’t bad, and the surrounding landscape is amazing. Really, once you get off the interstates, the rolling hills are beautiful. I highly recommend exploring Wyoming and this might be a great way to ease into the Cowboy State.
For more information, visit travelwyoming.com/thats-wy and koa.com/campgrounds/devils-tower/. See our other articles at www.thenextpassion.com.