Devils Tower

Devils Tower was the first site in the country designated a national monument, in 1906, and it looks like nothing else in Wyoming — an 867-foot igneous column rising straight out of the pine forest of the Black Hills’ western edge. It’s also one of the easiest major landmarks in the state to add to a trip you’re already taking: it sits in Wyoming’s far northeast corner, close enough to the Black Hills (Mount Rushmore, Sturgis) to work as a day trip from either direction, and about two hours from Sheridan.

Lodging near the monument itself is limited — small towns, campgrounds, and a handful of properties directly by the park entrance. Most visitors base in Sundance or Hulett, Wyoming, or continue on to Spearfish or Rapid City, South Dakota, if Devils Tower is one stop on a Black Hills loop.

Best for: a half-day to full-day detour, not a multi-night base on its own.