Devils Tower rises from the ground like a beacon calling climbers to scale its steep walls.
About This Tour
Welcome to northeastern Wyoming, one of the best parts of America. You’ll discover a land rich in history, wildlife, minerals, national forests, ranching and friendly people. This part of America is home to Devils Tower National Monument.
Small town hospitality, ample amenities, rich history and nature’s best await you in Devils Tower Country! Wyoming’s territorial legislature, in an effort to grow the state, created Crook County in 1875. Their act, however, only created the county on paper and it was another 10 years before Crook County truly became a legal entity.
Experience this tour by car and foot to hear stories about early homesteaders, dinosaurs, Native American history, wildlife, geology and the legend of this sacred rock.
This tour is presented by the Crook County Promotion Board, responsible for promoting the growth and development of Crook County in Wyoming.
Sample Stories
For more content, click the "Explore this Tour Remotely" button below.
Hulett, Wyoming
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Hulett was named for the first family to settle in the area in 1881. With their mail addressed to "Spearfish, Dakota Territory" it took news from back home weeks or even months to arrive. The process was expedited in 1886 when the community's first post office was established in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Hulett. Mr. Hulett was the postmaster until August 25, 1894. Mail arrived twice a week from a location east of present day Aladdin. The trip from Hulett to Aladdin took eight hours then, although today today it only takes 32 minutes.
The community's first store opened near the Hulett's home in 1890 or 1891 at the same time Wyoming was officially becoming a state. By 1900 Hulett was still only comprised of a couple of buildings. The town was platted in 1904 and the First Baptist Church was organized on October 30, 1904. A bank, a motel, a traveling photographer, a general store, a doctors office and, for a time, two livery stables ran businesses in town. A tin shop, two pool halls and a flour mill also operated in the community at times during the early days. Two newspapers, first the "Intermountain Globe" and later "The Blade" were credited with helping entice people to the area.
The "Intermountain Globe" was published by Harry Gunderson, who also operated the U.S. Land Office where newcomers could file on their homesteads.
In the spring of 1908 John Youngman, a member of the Hulett Tie and Timber Company, shipped 4,100 ties, or railroad beams, down the Belle Fourche River to Belle Fourche. The trip took 23 days and teams awaited them on the banks of the river to drag the ties from the water. A houseboat was used as part of the excursion. While there was timber present in other parts of the county, those who lived along the Belle Fourche River had a definite advantage by transporting lumber during the spring run-off when the river was at its peak flow.
Like many rural communities, everyone from the surrounding area came into town for Independence Day festivities. Early Hulett gatherings, like one advertised in 1917, included singing, races, dancing and an evening fireworks display on the hill east of town. "A magnificent display is promised," stated the advertising event program. Even the Aladdin baseball team was in town for the day and beat Hulett 14 to 3.
The timber industry and ranching were central to the economy in early day Hulett. Visitors can see the local sawmills and enjoy the associated aroma. From herds of cattle in the fields to ranch buildings across the countryside, the ranching industry also remains present.
Black Hills National Forest
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The Bear Lodge Mountains, named for the Lakota people's history of this area, are one of three ranges that make up the larger Black Hills National Forest. Despite the presence of Devils Tower National Monument at the edge of the range, the mountains aren't known for the rugged terrain seen in Wyoming's other mountain ranges. The relatively mild terrain makes for scenic driving, beautiful views and a variety of recreational opportunities.
Warren Peak, rising to 6,640 feet, is the highest peak in the range. Located toward the southern end of the Bear Lodge Mountains near Sundance, the Peak is home to a fire lookout tower. The lookout was built in the 1930s and is still used today as a post from which to spot wildfires. On a clear day, those who venture to the lookout tower's top can see the Big Horn Mountains 200 miles to the West.
Bur Oak, like that seen around you, stand at the foot of the mountains, delivering lush green beauty in the spring and summer and spectacular color in the fall. Ranging from shrub size to 69 feet tall, the trees around you could be up to 400 years old. The acorns dropped from the oak trees each fall are an important source of food for local wildlife. This lush habitat - where chokecherries, wild rose and abundance of plant life thrive - is shared by deer, wild turkeys, elk and many other species of wildlife.
Harvest of Ponderosa Pine, the predominant tree species throughout the Black Hills, has been important to the local economy from homesteader days to the present. The timber industry, through active management and sustainable practices, provides vital forest health benefits. As you look around, the trees with red needles are those that have been killed by the current Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic. As of 2015, approximately 430,000 acres in the Black Hills region have been impacted to some extent by the little beetle, which are each about the size of a grain of rice. Active forest management and timber sales in northeast Wyoming and across the region help to minimize impacts from beetle infestations and help to reduce the risk of wildfire.
