Devils Tower Continued from page 130 BLACK HILLS & BADLANDS REGION HIKING The fi e hiking trails at Devils Tower National Monument — Tower, Red Beds, Joyner Ridge, South Side and Valley View — provide different views and perspectives of the tower. Tower Trail is the most popular route, taking visitors along a 1.3-mile-long path around the base. The one hour, self-guided trek offers close-up views of the forest and wildlife and spectacular views of the tower itself. Meanwhile, Joyner Ridge is an easy 1.5-mile-long hike that offers pretty perspectives of the tower, especially at dusk. The Red Beds Trail covers a much broader three-mile loop around the monument and provides breathtaking views of the surrounding plains. For Devils Tower National Monument business listings, turn to page 145. CLIMBING For adrenaline-pumping activity, climb one of the abundant routes at the tower. Hundreds of parallel cracks divide the stone pillar into large hexagonal columns, making it one of the premier traditional crack climbing areas in North America. If you are interested in climbing the tower and want a professional guide to lead the route, contact Sylvan Rocks Climbing School & Guide Service . All climbers who wish to ascend the tower or scramble above the boulder field need to register before their climb and follow all rules and regulations. Registration can be completed at the kiosk in the center of the paved parking area. The June Voluntary Climbing Closure takes place during the entire month of June to show respect to the tribes that view the tower as sacred. BLACK HILLS OF WYOMING VENTURE ACROSS THE STATE LINE AND SAY ‘HI’ TO OUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORS There is a lot to be discovered in the Black Hills of Wyoming. Skirting the western edge of the Black Hills is Weston County , which offers two scenic tours to include in your travels. A cruise along the 78-mile Wyoming Black Hills Scenic Byway is anchored by the city of Newcastle, sprawls northward to Sundance and further on to Devils Tower National Monument . Take a side trip to the free museum in Upton, via Hwy 16/116 North. At Devils Tower, camp at Devils Tower KOA and shop at Devils Tower Trading Post . Once in Crook County, you’re in Devils Tower Country . The mystery and magnifi ence of the area are impressive. It’s where the Sundance Kid, an outlaw from Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch, got his name. Learn his story and others at the Crook County Museum . The museum is housed in Old Stoney, a historic sandstone schoolhouse. Download the GPS guided tour or meet the Old West characters in person as you stroll along the streets of Sundance on a Sip and Walk tour. 132 // #DiscoverBlackHills Archaeological Site at Vore Buffalo Jump Lunch or dinner at The Longhorn Saloon and Grill is a sure way to meet many of the friendly locals. There are a few hotels in town, as well as Bearlodge Mountain Resort , where the deer and the antelope play in the meadow outside your door. Just 9 miles past Devils Tower on Hwy 24 North you’ll come across an Old West oasis — Hulett — with eateries, a museum and lodging. While you’re in the area, stop at the Aladdin General Store in the tiny town of Aladdin — population 15. Just past Aladdin, abundant lodging and camping spots can be found at JC Stage Stop B&B Resort . Step back in time at the Vore Buffalo Jump , just off I-90 near Beulah. One of the most important archaeological sites of the late-prehistoric Plains Indians, this natural sinkhole was used as a bison trap from approximately 1500 to 1800.
South Dakota Vacation Guide South Dakota Vacation Guide 2019: Page 132
