Powder River Basin & Wyoming Black Hills

Northeastern Wyoming's two key industries - agriculture and coal mining - are typified by the scenic guest ranches near Sheridan and the huge open pit mines near Gillette. The former includes some of the country's oldest and best dude ranches, and the city of Sheridan itself is a great Western town, with museums showcasing the area's unique history and Western culture and one of the best historic city centers in the state. Gillette, a boom-or-bust energy town, has been booming recently, the drilling and mining activity expanding considerably in recent years. Also in this area is Wyoming's Black Hills and the adjacent Devils Tower National ...

Northeastern Wyoming's two key industries - agriculture and coal mining - are typified by the scenic guest ranches near Sheridan and the huge open pit mines near Gillette. The former includes some of the country's oldest and best dude ranches, and the city of Sheridan itself is a great Western town, with museums showcasing the area's unique history and Western culture and one of the best historic city centers in the state. Gillette, a boom-or-bust energy town, has been booming recently, the drilling and mining activity expanding considerably in recent years. Also in this area is Wyoming's Black Hills and the adjacent Devils Tower National Monument. Devils Tower, made famous in the Steven Spielberg classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind, is an international climbing destination and the first national monument in the United States. Also of note is the historic Occidental Hotel in the town of Buffalo, recently undergoing a grand renovation to make it one of the best in the West.

About the Expert

Eric Peterson has written and contributed to numerous Frommer’s guidebooks covering the American West, including Montana & Wyoming, Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, and Texas.