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May/June 2015

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Fossil Butte National Monument

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Devils Tower National Monument

Buffalo Bill Center of the West http://goo.gl/oWxJop Above: The entrance to Devils Tower National Monument. Above left: Devils Tower rises above the surrounding grassland and Ponderosa pine forests like a rocky sentinel. Far left: Devils Tower Trading Post can meet all travel and picnic needs. It is also home to the world’s largest Harley-Davidson flag. Left: Devils Tower offers a great camping and hiking experience.

is about,” he says. “Serious hikers climb the peak, but for less ambitious people like me, the grounds around the Tower are perfect for walking,” says Jayashankar. “It’s safe for children and takes about an hour,” says Bertram. “It has something for everyone. The natural beauty is breathtaking. Climbing the peak is amazing, but it’s a very steep climb and for very experienced hikers.” The best time to visit is late spring or summer. “August is a great time,” says Shon McDonald, a former resident of Sundance, Wyoming. “Wyoming gets a lot of snow in winters. Also, in August you have the Wyoming Motorcycle Rally, which is great to watch.” The towns around Devils Tower have budgetfriendly places to stay. “It’s easy to get the usual fare, but those with dietary restrictions better make Spirit,” he says. The Tower is still known for its wildlife like deer, bison, antelope, elk, turkey and the arrangements,” says Jayashankar. “The friendly park rangers are a mine of information.” Wyoming also rare mountain lion. has other interesting sites like the Fossil Butte National Monument, which is the state’s newest Camping and more national monument, and the Buffalo Bill Center of Lee Bertram, a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. the West. Navy who grew up in Wyoming, says there is a lot “The state of Wyoming is famous for the to do on the Tower grounds. “It’s a great place for Yellowstone National Park,” says Jayashankar. “The camping. It’s not your usual tourist haunt. It’s not Devils Tower can be an interesting stop. It is a like Mount Rushmore and that makes it unique.” detour you won’t regret.” Bertram advises visitors to look around the small towns near the Tower and experience the local lifestyles. “That way you get a feel of what the state Paromita Pain is a journalist in Austin, Texas.

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