Northeast Wyoming is a 2023 vacation destination!

Summer in Wyoming is exceptional, with activities ranging from touring historic battlefields, viewing national monuments or relaxing around a campsite. Parks and historical sites throughout the state drive local communities’ economic success. While major attractions like Yellowstone National Park grab the headlines, several fun and interesting places in northeast Wyoming offer unique experiences for fun family vacations.

Northeast Wyoming’s most significant tourism draw is certainly Devils Tower National Monument. More than 480,000 recreation visits occurred in 2022 at the iconic monolith. While not as high as the 2021 record of 550,712, the number of visitors was still the fourth-highest ever recorded at the National Monument. Despite an intense and persistent winter, 2023 is also off to a strong start.

But northeast Wyoming, like the rest of the state, offers much to enjoy and experience beyond the national park and monument borders. In 2022, nearly 5.2 million visitors came to Wyoming State Parks and Historic Sites, down slightly from the pandemic-impacted years of 2020 and 2021. 

These locales have a significant economic impact on Wyoming. In a January 2023 press release from Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails, Patrick Harrington, Manager of Wyoming’s Office of Outdoor Recreation, said, 

"Wyoming’s outdoor recreation and tourism economies continue to play a critical role in our state’s economic vitality. With steadily increasing visitation over the past several years, strategic planning and development of outdoor recreation opportunities will play a major role in maintaining and improving the visitor experience on Wyoming’s public lands for years to come.”    

The state’s Office of Tourism 2022 Economic Impact Report indicates Wyoming’s travel spending increased by 3.2% in 2022 to $4.4 billion, up from $4.3 billion in 2021. Visitors to Wyoming hotels, motels and short-term vacation rentals spent $2.6 billion in 2022. The spending increase occurred despite a 2022 overnight visitor volume of 7.6 million, down 5.2% from 2021. Direct travel-generated employment increased by about 1,750 jobs, a 5.6% increase over 2021.

More than the Monument

The five counties of northeast Wyoming - Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Sheridan and Weston - experienced significant cumulative increases in tourism-related income in 2022. The five counties’ total sales and use tax income was $148,139,940, while the lodging tax income was $1,717,616.

Perennially, Devils Tower National Monument attracts regional, national, and international visitors to the northeast corner of the state, and numerous other state parks and historical sites in the area are also well worth a visit. 

Keyhole State Park is where the locals go, with some of Wyoming’s largest fish.  The hidden gem is just a short drive from Devils Tower and offers swimming, hiking, boating, water skiing, fishing, camping and more!

The Fort Phil Kearny State Historical Site near Banner dates back to 1866. It was created to protect gold prospectors and other travelers along the Bozeman Trail and was a critical factor in the Fetterman and Wagon Box Battles in the 1860s.

Sheridan’s Trail End State Historic Site was a modern marvel of construction when it was constructed in 1913. It included the latest technology, including electric lights, telephones and a coal-fired furnace. 

The Connor Battlefield State Historic Site near Ranchester has historical features of the 1865 battle between U.S. troops led by General Patrick E. Connor and Arapaho Indians. Today, the site includes camping, fishing and Tongue River access. 

There are several major can’t-miss events to add to a vacation itinerary in northeast Wyoming, including:

The 75th annual National High School Finals Rodeo will be held July 16-22, 2023, at the  Camplex Event Center in Gillette. Over 1,500 students compete in various events in what has become known as the “World’s Largest Rodeo.”

While it’s technically in South Dakota, the 83rd annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is a regional event, with many attendees visiting northeast Wyoming.  
'Finally, although scheduled for 2024, it is not too early to begin planning for the International Pathfinder Camporee. Held every five years, the next event will be August 5-11, 2024, in Gillette, where more than 55,000 Pathfinders from over 100 countries will play, share, learn and worship together.

Spend your summer in northeast Wyoming

Though the snow has only recently receded, summer will be here before you know it. Summertime in northeast Wyoming can be an excellent vacation spot for the entire family. Use the information above or the resources at Travel Wyoming to learn about the area, make reservations and build northeast Wyoming into your summer plans now!