Start Point: Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota

Final Destination: Devils Thumb, Wyoming

THE DETOUR: WY 111

How Much Time Does it Add? 13 min./ 2 hr 32 min vs. 2 hr. 45 min.

The traditional route from Black Hills National Park to Devils Tower will vary depending on the starting point within the large park, but typically Google Maps or the travelers’ handy Garmin will map out 385 N to I 90W to W 14.  My suggestion is to exit I 90W  at WY 111 and go from there.

The time-savvy, schedule-loving, up-tight and destination-obsessed traveler might ask:

Why the detour? Here’s why.  This is pure Wyoming countryside with rolling green hills, cows, horses, golden wheat fields and an open sky.  While the actual time difference is only 13 minutes longer, we stopped so many times for pictures, a cold drink in a small town, or to peruse a trading post, the drive took us hours.  No distractions, Quik Marts, Billboards, or golden arches.  Pure escape. The roadtrip would not have been the same without this day.  Simple, free, and well worth it.

Who Recommended This Route to Me? A local climber sitting next to me at a bar (The Mangy Moose) in Hill City, SD over a beer served by a bartender with a “parental advisory” belt buckle and “no fat chicks allowed” tattoo.

Towns you’ll pass through:  Alva (population 50) Hulett (population 440) Aladdin (population 376)