You can see Devils Tower from miles away. Literally. Devils Tower rises over 1,200 feet from the Belle Fourche River, is 867 feet tall, and was my morning destination today.
I started off my morning at The Original Spearfish Breakfast House, where I indulged in a plate of sweet cream pancakes for breakfast.
Then, it was time to hit the road. Devils Tower lies almost 60 miles west of Spearfish in the northeast corner of Wyoming. I took the northerly route there, passing through Aladdin and Hulett (two western-style towns) along with miles and miles of farmland and ranches before reaching Devils Tower National Monument.
The road winds for three miles from the entrance up to the visitor’s center near the base of the tower. There are a few trails to follow, the most popular of which (and the one I chose) is the 1.8 mile Tower Trail, which circles the base of the tower. While the tower itself is impressive, I was equally impressed by watching the climbers high up on the cliff sides scaling the summit.
I made a short stop at the prairie dog town to visit the cute little creatures before stopping at Devils Tower Trading Post for a bottle of local sarsaparilla with a nice view of Devils Tower from the picnic tables.
Once I left the monument, it was a race against the rain to get back to Spearfish. There were a couple of downpours, but I made it back to my hotel just as it started hailing. I relaxed for a while before a delicious pizza and berry cider at Sawyer Brewing Company.
Then it was “Giddy-up, Cowboy” time! 2024 marks the 105th Black Hills Roundup rodeo, held each year over the Fourth of July in Belle Fourche, South Dakota. The rodeo consists of everything from roping to barrel racing to bull riding. I have been to two rodeos in Wyoming previously, so I knew what to expect, and it was a fun night enjoying a sport we don’t see much of in New England. An impressive fireworks show followed the rodeo to cap off the night.
Traveling with Laura 