Three days in Northeast Wyoming

Three days turns Devils Tower from a highway detour into the anchor of a region with water, history, trails and small towns.

Devils Tower rising above ponderosa pine trees
Devils Tower rises above the ponderosa pine forest at the heart of the monument. Photo: NPS / S. Carter

Use one day for the monument and Hulett, one for Sundance and the Bearlodge Mountains, and one for Moorcroft and Keyhole State Park. Adjust the order to your highway direction.

Day 1Tower & Hulett
Day 2Sundance & Bearlodge
Day 3Moorcroft & Keyhole

Day one · Devils Tower and Hulett

Arrive at the monument before 10 a.m. in summer. Walk Tower Trail, visit the developed area and stop at the prairie dog town.

Continue north to Hulett for lunch, the museum or an overnight. If daylight allows, drive toward Aladdin without turning the evening into another full itinerary.

Day two · Sundance and the Bearlodge edge

Base the day in Sundance. Visit the Crook County Museum and downtown, then choose a manageable Forest Service trail or scenic drive in the Bearlodge Mountains.

Use current maps and conditions. A shorter forest outing leaves time for dinner and prevents an unfamiliar back road from becoming a nighttime problem.

Day three · Moorcroft and Keyhole

Start with the West Texas Trail Museum in Moorcroft, then move west toward Pine Haven and Keyhole State Park.

Fish, paddle, hike or simply use the reservoir for a picnic and slower afternoon. Camp at Keyhole or rejoin I-90 for the next leg of the trip.

Where to sleep

Hulett is closest to the Tower. Sundance provides the broadest all-around base. Moorcroft is practical for I-90, and Keyhole adds cabins and camping.

A single base reduces packing, but changing towns can remove backtracking. Let the next day’s first stop decide.

Seasonal versionIn cold weather, replace forest roads and water recreation with museums, town stops and a shorter monument visit.

Before you drive

Check current park alerts, highway conditions, weather and seasonal business hours. Download the route before leaving reliable service.