Day 24: Gillette, WY to Devils Tower, WY

Jacob Friend


Three days ago we biked a century. 2 days ago we did over 7,000 feet of climbing. Yesterday we biked another 97 miles. Today we took it chill.

When planning our route through Wyoming we knew there was going to be a difficult stretch due to sparse population and the mountainous Big Horn Range. I’m proud of us for rising to the challenge, but it was time to give our bodies a break. Our alarms went off at 8:30am, about 2 hours of extra sleep compared to a normal day. Instead of waking up feeling like adventure cyclists, we felt more like zombies—gloomy, tired, and slow. Our feet were dragging along the campsite somewhat dreading today’s saddle time.

Before getting back on the road, we made a pit stop at the local bike shop to stock up on bike tubes, patch kits, and stove fuel. Inflated tires and spare tubes gave us the morale boost we needed to kickstart our morning. After a slow start we were en route to Devils Tower around 11:30am.

The Bicycle Shop in Gillette, WY

Gillette, WY prides itself in being the “energy capital of the world” and oversees an extensive network of coal mines. As we left town we got to bike past hundreds of BNSF trains that were being prepped to transport coal all across the country. Between the coal mines, trains, and factories, we had good eye candy to start the ride.

Friend and Usher ride by the train tracks outside of Gillette, WY

After passing the last of the trains, our enjoyment of biking through Gillette quickly faded. We were left with semi trucks and roads under construction to navigate with minimal views of the Wyoming landscape. Fortunately, we were biking with a good pace that carried us out of Gillette and into Moorcroft where we stopped for groceries and lunch.

Michael helps Usher with a squeaky drive train

From Moorcroft to Devils Tower we had a little under 40 miles of biking. While our bodies were still not 100%, we made good time finishing out the ride as we listened to songs about coal (e.g. North Country Blues by Bob Dylan) and a playlist of Rick Rubin’s best songs he has produced (shoutout my mom for the recommendation). We’re always looking for cool tunes to listen to while riding, so feel free to send us recommendations 🙂

Once we arrived to Devils Tower we were astonished by the famous butte and the surrounding red sandstone cliffs. As Brian mentioned before, the hidden gems of this trip stand out as some of the greatest highlights. Just two days ago I didn’t know what Devils Tower was and now I’m fortunate enough to be camping a stone’s throw away from it.

The approach to Devils Tower, WY

Brian and I took a short hike to the base of the butte while Michael and Usher decided to get some extra rest at the campsite. Here are a few fun facts about Devils Tower:

Devils Tower National Monument was the first United States national monument established on September 24, 1906, by Theodore Roosevelt.

The tower is a popular climbing spot, but it’s also sacred to several Plains tribes. After deliberation there now exists a voluntary climbing ban during the month of June when the tribes are conducting ceremonies around the monument.

There are a ton of prairie dogs here.

Devils Tower and nearby prairie dogs

I’m glad we could have a shorter day and enjoy another beautiful campsite. Today is our last full day in Wyoming and I’ll sure miss it! See you soon South Dakota 💗