Gillette, Wyoming was founded in 1891 and is the seat of Campbell County. Its growth was closely linked to its prime location along the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad. Railroad officials named the town in honor of Edward Gillette, a railroad surveyor. The city was only about four years old when a fire destroyed most of it. From that humble beginning, Gillette has grown to a city of about 33,000 people.
About 35% of all coal used in the United States comes from Wyoming, and much of that is mined in Gillette and the surrounding area. Head to Eagle Butte Mines to take one of their twice-daily coal-mining tours to learn more about surface mining. The Rockpile Museum is an outstanding option for history lovers as it showcases how different industries have changed this city over time.
You can find many terrific dining options in Gillette. The fried chicken at The Coop is delicious. Grab a great hamburger or chicken sandwich at The Roost. The Rail Yard serves outstanding steaks and seafood. If you want to try local produce, organic eggs, and other local products, head to Our Little Wyoming Life Store, just south of town.
There are 30 city parks in Gillette to explore. Heritage Park has a zipline, a baseball field, basketball and volleyball courts, and a playground. If you play disc golf, head to the course at Dalby Park. In the winter, you can go ice skating at Pathfinder Park. Gurley Park features eight horseshoe pits for family fun.
Campgrounds Near Gillette, Wyoming
Sturgis RV Park is in downtown Sturgis, just a short walk from historic Main Street. It has 152 campsites, each featuring a picnic table, full hookups, and high-speed Wi-Fi. Its amenities include a clubhouse with four TVs, a pool table, and a fully equipped kitchen. This campground has daily, weekly, and monthly rates and is open from mid-May through mid-September.
Big Rig RV Park Campground offers spectacular views of the Black Hills. This campground is only open from late July through mid-August; it's a place for folks to stay during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Each site comes with full hookups, including electricity, water, and sewer. Other amenities include two shower facilities and an on-site laundromat.
Rush No More RV Resort and Campground offers mainly pull-through sites with full hookups. This campground adjoins the Black Hills National Forest — you can find hiking trails starting at the campground and leading into the forest. Some RV sites come with a private spa. This campground features a hot tub and swimming pool. Enjoy the selections at the beer garden.
National Parks near Gillette, Wyoming
Head southeast from Gillette about 130 miles to explore Wind Cave National Park. Many Northern Plains Native Americans believe this is where buffalos and humans first set foot on earth and consider it sacred ground. Start a cave tour at the natural entrance, and listen to the unique sound that the wind makes at this location. If the pressure inside the cave exceeds the current air pressure outside, you will feel the wind blowing out of the cave. This cave is the third longest in the U.S. Over 95% of the world's known boxwork — small intersecting lines in sedimentary rock — is at this location. Once back above ground, this is a super spot to go climbing, hiking, fishing, rafting, and nature watching. Consider staying a night or two at the park's Elk Mountain Campground. There are 48 sites, each with full hookups.
Badlands National Park is about 200 miles east of Gillette. This park, covering approximately 244,000 acres, is covered with interesting rock formations, with most being more than 1 million years old. You might spot fossils from the late Eocene and Oligocene epochs, but if you find any, report it to park rangers and leave it alone. During most of the summer, you can watch paleontologists examining fossils at the Fossil Preparation Lab. Watch prairie dogs interacting at the Roberts Prairie Dog Town, and learn more about the Lakota Native Americans at the White River Visitor Center. Badlands National Park is also home to about 1,200 buffalo and is spectacular for stargazing. Make the most of your time by camping at Cedar Pass Campground, where there are 96 campsites, or at Sage Creek Campground, which has 22 sites for vehicles 18 feet long and shorter.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is about 305 miles northeast of Gillette. Federal officials have divided this park into three distinct units. They have left the Elkhorn Unit undeveloped — that's where President Roosevelt lived after his wife's death, preserving beautiful scenic views. The North Unit is a secluded location where you can go on a 14-mile scenic drive. During the journey, you may see bighorn sheep standing on sheer cliffs. You can find hiking trails that range from 0.1 miles to over 14 miles. This area of the park is home to Juniper Campground, which has 50 first-come, first-served campsites with no hookups. The South Unit of the park is home to a 48-mile scenic drive, where you might spot some of the park's feral horses. The South Unit is home to Cottonwood Campground. This campground usually fills up nightly, with 50% of the sites available for reservation.
State Parks Near Gillette, Wyoming
The Western Black Hills is home to Keyhole State Park, which covers 15,890 acres and has 10 campgrounds. State officials named this park after the Keyhole Ranch that used to be at this location. At the center of the park is a 14,000-acre reservoir, an ideal spot for fishing, boating, swimming, canoeing, and kayaking. While trout fishing is popular in the warmer months, this park is a fantastic place for ice fishing.
Glendo State Park surrounds the 29.5-square-mile Glendo Reservoir. This reservoir is an outstanding place to go walleye fishing. Six boat launches make it convenient to get out on the water. Approximately 45 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails surround the reservoir, and there are over 500 campsites distributed over 19 campgrounds.
Bear Butte State Park is a sacred spot to the Lakota and Sioux Native Americans. During your explorations, you may see strips of fabric tied to trees and brushes. Be respectful and leave these alone. During the summer, stop at the Bear Butte Education Center and meet the Northern Plains Indian interpreter to learn more about how Native Americans believe their creator engages with them at this site. The lake is a prime spot to fish for bullheads. As you hike, watch for this park's resident buffalo heard, often found near the butte's base. There are over 50 non-reservable campsites at this South Dakota state park.
National Sites Near Gillette, Wyoming
Standing 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River, Devils Tower National Monument was probably formed when magma was cooled underground and exposed by erosion. Scientists believe the unique lines on the rock were caused by contraction while the magma was cooling. More than 20 Native American tribes consider it to be sacred. Climbing the tower is a popular pastime, but it is often closed to climbers in April to protect nesting falcons and in June so tribes can use the space for worship. Camp at the Belle Fourche River Campground, located about 1 mile north of the monument.
Jewel Cave National Monument contains the third-longest cave in the world. Researchers have mapped over 216 miles of this cave. Experience it for yourself on a guided cave tour. Note that you cannot enter the cave on your own, and tickets often sell out by mid-morning, so make your reservations ahead of time. Once you're back above ground, consider taking one of two short nature hikes.
Mount Rushmore National Monument contains the sculpted faces of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Each face is about 60 feet tall. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum began working on the project in 1927, and workers completed it in 1941. When you visit Mount Rushmore, try to watch the evening lighting ceremony. During this 45-minute presentation, a park ranger discusses the monument's history before showing the film "Freedom: America's Lasting Legacy" and turning on the monument's lights.
National Forests Near Gillette, Wyoming
The National Forest Service oversees Custer and Gallatin National Forest as one unit. Together, these forests cover more than 3 million acres. The western part is more developed than the eastern part. This forest contains over 1,000 miles of hiking trails. One option is to follow the 6-mile-long Lava Lake Trail, an out-and-back trail leading to a lake that often stays frozen year-round. Another terrific option, especially when wildflowers bloom in the spring and summer, is the Beehive Basin Trail #40. This out-and-back trail offers stunning mountain views as you ascend over 1,500 feet. This national forest contains over 4,000 miles of fishable waterways and over 700 lakes and ponds. Hebgen Lake is a favorite among fly fishers.
Black Hills National Forest covers over 1.2 million acres in South Dakota and Western Wyoming. It has more than 1,300 miles of streams and 450 miles of hiking trails. Pay a visit to the Harney Peak Fire Tower, which workers with the Civilian Corps of Engineers constructed in 1938 using stone from nearby French Creek. Or, take the short hike to Meeker Ranch to see a homestead built in the 1880s. Stroll along the trail to the Gold Mountain Mine, where miners used open-surface mining techniques to hunt gold. Deadwood Sheriff Seth Bullock constructed the Mount Roosevelt Friendship Tower in 1919 and dedicated it to President Roosevelt. You will love the stunning views from this location.
Bighorn National Forest covers more than 1.1 million acres in Wyoming. Shell Falls Interpretive Site near Burgess Junction is a wonderful place to start your visit as it serves as the forest’s visitor center. This forest contains three scenic drives, which can be fantastic for spotting deer, bears, moose, pronghorn antelope, and elk. Cloud Peak Wilderness is the highest elevation in this forest and contains the Bighorn Mountains' last remaining glacier.
