Gillette

Gillette is a city in Northeast Wyoming halfway between Sundance and Sheridan on I-90. Gillette is a coal mining town with a population of about 33,000 (2020). Because of the coal, oil, and natural gas production, the city calls itself the energy capital of the nation. == Understand == === History === Gillette started as a tent city called Donkey Town in the 1890s, when a railroad line was built. For Edward Gillette's surveying work, the company who owned the line named the town after him. The early days of Gillette were rough, with over a dozen saloons and no church. There are stories of cowboys burning down the jail they were in to flee, a shootout downtown that killed a man, and outlaws in a showdown with officers. Despite all that, it never reached "Wild West" levels of violence and outlaws. After law and order took hold in Gillette, it became a quiet and small ranching town. Sometimes weeks happen in decades and decades happen in weeks. The sleepy cow town may had little in the way of happenings until the first hints of booms started with uranium in the 1950s. The nuclear programs of the United States made its influence felt slightly, then oil caused more growth in the 1960s. Coal mining was always present around Gillette, but it was the opening of major coal mines by huge corporations that caused the rough days and rowdiness to return. Fast money, trailers, drinking, drugs, fights, and all sorts of problems happened as the town swelled in size. The city was overwhelmed in every way possible. Jobs paying insanely high wages poured like manna from heaven requiring little more than a pulse until the late 1970s to early 1980s, when job requirements settled in. The energy industries influence was so prevalent the city stopped calling itself nicknames such as Razor City and called itself The Energy Capital of the Nation instead. During the 1970s, Gillette became known as a rough riding hell hole. A place where drugs were left as tips to waitresses. A place where wives refused to get out of the car upon arrival. A place so bad the media picked up on a term called Gillette Syndrome in a little known psychology paper and turned it into a lightning rod of every ill imaginable a boomtown could experience giving it unwanted attention against the wishes of its author. Some of it was true, some of it was exaggerated, and some was a media invention. Though like the early days, the boom didn't go on forever. At that time nearly half the housing during was mobile homes until the city stepped in. The city focused on turning Gillette a place based around families, and succeeded in restoring order. As the money rolled in from the mines, so did the amenities. It seems the city lacks for nothing. Some cities become a company town, others don't. Gillette has some perks found in company towns while remaining a little more true to its origins. Though the city changed, the perceptions did not. No one remembers the sleepy cow town as it passes from memory, but the place no one visited for the hell of it remains burned in, for now. As for the traveler, throughout its history, Gillette has been a launching point or a place to rest along a journey. Photographer William H. Jackson and painter Thomas Moran went to Devil's Tower in 1892 by horse-drawn wagon, using Gillette for their round trip. Today the city still promotes itself as a good place to stay when traveling between the Black Hills and Yellowstone National Park. When Custer Battlefield Hiway was built, Gillette became a stopping point. Many motels were built from around the 1930s to about the 1960s on what is now U.S. Highways 14 and 16. Those places lost their significance as the town shifted direction when Interstate 90 was built in the early 1970s. === Culture === The saying goes that Wyoming is a city with very long streets. Gillette would be the industrial section of that city. It's a quiet family-friendly coal, oil, and gas town with more money than taste. You can't throw a rock without hitting a coal miner. But these aren't the coal dust-covered miners of the East. They make white-collar incomes driving massive haul trucks doing shift work. Their four wheelers, RVs, and other toys overflow from their driveways. Mixed in with them are the occasional ranchers, clean shaven with their King Ropes hats and belt buckles. Like any city, outside of specific industries, the bulk of people are working normal jobs found anywhere else. Everyone dresses casually, many still in their work outfits. Suits are so rare that most of the lawyers and politicians don't wear them. Ethnic clothes are a rare sight. Gillette is not a trendy place. Whatever happens nationally takes some time to reach the city. Politically, Gillette is one of the most Republican cities in the country. Bumper stickers read "if you don't like coal don't use electricity". Almost all the political signs are for local elections, not national. Some of the conservatism in the past came from the culture of independence from the ranchers. After COVID, things changed. A new brand of conservatism has emerged. The old adage of not discussing politics or religion in polite company applies here. In the early 1980s a writer for Playboy famously said "No one comes to Gillette for the hell of it." He wrote of drug abuse, hard work and even harder drinking, and transplants vs natives. Times have changed, but in some ways what he wrote still lingers on. Even the visitor center promotes the city as a stop rather than a destination. If you ask someone where they are from it most likely won't be Gillette. Some people people in Gillette have kept the "work hard and play hard" motto alive. To them it's a drinking town with a working problem. For most people, Gillette is all about moving to a place with a good paying job and raising their kids in good schools. With the mining related jobs, ranch history, and western ideas, come the trucks, and not of the small Japanese kind. A car feels small, sandwiched between all the pickups, SUVs, haul trucks, and semi-trucks on the road and in the parking lots. Pickups come in a great variety, from the dirty white trucks used at the mines with their several foot high LED antennas bouncing around to the lifted brodozers modified to roll coal. If there is one thing that seems to bring everyone together in Gillette, it has to be the outdoors. Hiking, hunting, shooting, fishing, four wheeling, camping, mudding, bird watching, or any of the other countless things to do outside. If it's outdoors, almost guaranteed they are interested in it. === Climate === Windy, cold, and dry in the winter. Hot, sunny, and dry in the summer. It can snow as late as the end of May and as early as September. Black ice on the highways and hard-packed snow in the city can be an issue in winter. High winds can happen any time of the year. Disasters are rare. The occasional major hail storm comes through every few years denting all the cars and destroying vinyl fences. Truly epic snow storms only happen every few decades. Small tornadoes have landed in the past, but usually cause little damage. === Tourist information === Visit Gillette website == Get in == === By car === Between the Black Hills of South Dakota and Yellowstone National Park, Gillette is an excellent place to stop if you are traveling I-90 East or West. Highway 59 connects the town with Montana to the north and Douglas, Wyoming, to the south. Watch out for deer on the road, especially at night and early in the morning. Sometimes there are carcasses on the side of the road from previous collisions. The saying about a deer in the headlights is real. They will stare at the lights and not move. The pronghorn, seen everywhere, usually don't stop and get out of the way. === By bus === 1 Greyhound, 106 N Hwy 14-16 (outside Boondoggles (Shell Food Mart) convenience store). The bus stop is an outdoor stop, but there is no need to stand in the snow or sun. You can wait around for the bus at the sit down eating area inside the convenience store. (updated May 2024) === By plane === Flying directly to Gillette is expensive. If you plan to rent a car or have a ride, a cheaper option is to fly to Casper, Wyoming or Rapid City, South Dakota. Casper and Rapid City are about 2 hr away by car. 1 Northeast Wyoming Regional Airport (GCC IATA), 2000 Airport Rd (Take US 14/16 and follow it North. Look on the left for the airport sign at the intersection of Old Hwy 59 right after the industrial park.), ☏ +1 307 686 1042. 4AM-last evening flight. Previously known as the Gillette-Campbell County Airport the Northeast Wyoming Regional Airport has non-stop service on United Airlines to Denver. All parking including long-term is free. It's immaculately clean, well maintained, and completely empty if a plane isn't coming. Take a minute to look around at the art on the walls and the nature scene displays. There's a cafe, ATM, and car rentals in the terminal. Flights in and out use smaller Bombardier CRJ planes so turbulence is more common and stronger. (updated May 2024) == Get around == Because of its age, Gillette was mostly built for personal cars and trucks. There is no public transportation. Urban sprawl makes using a bike or going on foot difficult. The main roads are 59 (South Douglas Highway or Highway 59) and 14/16 (US Routes 14 and 16 or 2nd Street). Lakeway, Boxelder, and 4-J are the major arteries inside the city. Skyline (Highway 50), Southern Drive, Northern Drive, and Garner Lake Road form a ring around the city. Business areas are on 59, Lakeway, and 14/16. Roads are called East or West depending on where they are in relation to Gillette Avenue - the middle of the city. Roads going East and West are often named streets. Those going North and South are often named avenues. A few of the numbered roads are split. It's not possible to travel all the way down a numbered road straight through. This applies to South Gillette Avenue also known as main street. === By car === Gillette is best navigated by car. Parking in the city is free and street parking outside the downtown area is usually plentiful. All the major business areas have parking lots. One-way streets are rare. Rentals are available at the airport and near the downtown area. === By bike === While some bike lanes and paths do exist they are better used for recreation in the summer than as a main form of transportation. People often park RVs, trailers, cars, and trucks in some of the unused bike lanes. Sometimes snow plows push snow to the side blocking both bike lanes and sidewalks. The bike paths separate from the road are not always cleared during winter. Even when the paths are cleared the snow can melt during the day and freeze in the evening creating sheets of ice. === By taxi === Taxi service in Gillette is slow because of the distances they take passengers. Some services don't give an exact time you will be waiting outside in the heat or snow for a while. Many of the vehicles operating as taxis are dirty and run down as well. == See == 1 Festival of Lights, 2910 Doubletree Ln (inside CAM-PLEX Park). November-January. Feeling the holiday spirit? Then this massive drive-through Christmas lights display is for you. It has dozens of animated displays, a light tunnel, and many thousands of lights. A short range radio station is setup at the park that plays Christmas music so don't forget to tune in. Free. === Art === Gillette has over 110 sculptures across the city picked by the Mayor's Art Council and even more at Mount Pisgah Cemetery. Several buildings have large murals including one downtown and another on one of the L&H buildings. On the outskirts of town two water towers in Sleepy Hollow have been painted based on the story Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 2 Avenues of Art, on Gillette Ave downtown and 4-J from Lakeway Rd to Boxelder Rd. While large sculptures and statues are spread across the city many pieces are concentrated on the Avenues of Art. The highest concentration is on 4-J and on Gillette Ave. The 4-J sculptures are best seen by using the bike and foot paths. The sculptures downtown are best seen by walking. Jane DeDecker, Gary Lee Price and Benjamin Victor are some of the notable artists that have had their work displayed. Quality varies from works of fine art made by truly skilled sculptures to school workshop projects of questionable value. Just as the statues are scattered, so is the subject matter. Free. 3 Heritage Center Art Gallery, 1635 Reata Dr (at the CAM-PLEX in the Heritage Center building; use the door near the Energy Hall; once inside go through the second door on the left). M-F 8AM-5PM. The quality of art in the gallery can vary greatly, but since it is right around the corner from the ticket office it is worth a quick look if you happen to already be at the CAM-PLEX. Other than events you will find it empty so you can look at the art in peace. If you enter the Heritage Center on the door next to the Energy Hall directly on the left are pamphlets, maps, and other things for visitors. Free. 4 Sculpture Walk, 804 S Emerson Ave, ☏ +1 307 682 3125. The Campbell County Cemetery District runs a program where artists can put their sculptures on display for sale and the public can enjoy them. These pieces of art are scattered across Mount Pisgah Cemetery with a high concentration at Inspiration Garden. Some are fine art to contemplate the fragility of life while others will leave you scratching your head. Free. (updated Oct 2024) === History === 5 Campbell County Rockpile Museum (Museum of the Powder River Basin), 900 W Second St (next to the large pile of rocks on Hwy 14/16), ☏ +1 307 682 5723, fax: +1 307 686 8528, rockpile@vcn.com. M-Sa 8AM-5PM. The Rockpile was a landmark for cowboys and now it's a landmark for the museum next to. This quiet museum has a mix of objects and information about homesteading, ranching, farming, coal mining, ancient geology, and American Indians. There are a few hands on displays with old items for children, but a few are still interesting for adults. A back room in the main building is used for rotating exhibits and the empty space there in front of the covered wagons is for events and talks. Don't forget to walk outside to the big white building with a garage door. There are more exhibits inside and outside on the South side of the building. $10. (updated Jun 2024) 6 Energy Equipment Park (High Plains Energy Equipment Display) (on S Garner Lake Rd across the street from the fire station just north of one of the CAM-PLEX RV parks). A large outdoor museum of retired coal mining, oil drilling, and agricultural heavy equipment. You can take your photo with a coal haul truck the size of a house, a dragline bucket you could drive a car into, or the formerly biggest tire in the world. Explore however you wish because there are no amenities, staff, or paths. Free. (updated Oct 2024) 7 Gillette Post Office, 301 S Gillette Ave. Philatelic (stamps, postal history, and postal related) fans can see the old Gillette Post Office in the downtown area. You can also check out the local brewery inside. Free. === Overlooks === 8 Eagle Butte Coal Mine Overlook (north of the Gillette-Campbell County Airport on Highway 14-16). Daylight hours. See a working coal mine with haul trucks and other heavy equipment in action. The outdoor visitor area has chunks of petrified wood, a huge coal haul truck tire, a large drag line shovel, and a platform to see the mine west of the highway that splits it. Requires climbing stairs to get on the platform. Free. (updated Oct 2024) 9 Overlook Park, 2901 Goldenrod Ave (Use Goldenrod in the Foothills area to easily access the upper part of the park.), ☏ +1 307 686 5275. 7AM-11PM. One of the highest points in the city for a great view of Gillette north of the interstate. The park is open long enough to allow day or night viewing. Be careful on Goldenrod Avenue when it is icy or there is heavy snow. The road can be steep. Free. (updated Oct 2024) == Do == A common complaint by some locals and many transplants is there is nothing to do. That depends on what you enjoy and are willing to try especially those from big cities. Generally speaking, Gillette only seems to have two seasons - summer and winter. Most of the events and tours occur in the summer because of bad weather during the winter. 1 CAM-PLEX Multi-Event Facilities, 1635 Reata Dr, ☏ +1-307-682-0552, fax: +1-307-682-8418, info@cam-plex.com. CAM-PLEX hosts RV and motorcycle rallies, many rodeos including the National High School Finals, concerts, gun shows, car shows, flea markets, fireworks displays, conferences, and the county fair. 2 Campbell County Recreation Center (Rec Center), 250 Shoshone Ave, ☏ +1 307 682 8527, djd77@ccgov.net. M--F 5AM--10PM Sa 8AM--6PM Su 11AM--6PM. The modern looking rec center has a pool, basketball courts, tracks, and so on; the same you would find at any recreation center or gym. The unique feature is the huge 42 foot tall climbing tower that mimics parts of Devils Tower. (updated Oct 2024) 3 Dalbey Memorial Park, 900 Edwards St, ☏ +1 307 686 5275. 7AM-11PM. Dalbey is the crown jewel of parks in the city. There are shelters, a mile-long walking path, a boardwalk, a scenic bridge, statues, memorials, information boards, a large disc golf course, baseball fields, football field, benches, and places for cornholing and horseshoes. At the center is the man-made Gillette Fishing Lake which is stocked with fish for year-round fishing and is a good spot for bird watching. Free, fishing $14/day nonresident. (updated Oct 2024) 4 Gillette Wild, 121 S 4-J Rd, ☏ +1 307 687-1555, Hayley@webprosmedia.com. See website for current season schedule. Enjoy an ice-hockey game at the Campbell County Ice Arena. The Wild play in the North American Tier III hockey league. (updated Aug 2023) 5 Lakeway Learning Center, 525 W Lakeway Rd (It's near the 4 J and Lakeway intersection. Look for the unassuming brown building with a blue stripe on the south side of Lakeway.), ☏ +1 307 687 4918. F 9:30AM-3PM. An old failed indoor mall was converted to a science center for local school children and is now open to the public. One of the former shops is a children's science center called the Adventurarium. Throughout the indoor courtyard and Adventurarium are whisper dishes, displays of local wildlife feces, optical illusions, live animals, and an interactive display that shows a virtual human body scanned with a CAT scan, MRI, x-ray, and gamma radiation. Free. (updated Oct 2024) 6 Red Rock Trails, 11 Northern Dr (north entrance is at the address while south entrance is at the very top of Northwest Park by going off the path to the top of the hill), ☏ +1 307 660 1570. The main trail is over 12 miles long. Bikes and horses are also allowed. Expect to see rolling prairie full of grass and sagebrush without a tree in sight. Grazing has been allowed again, so there may be cows. Free. (updated Oct 2024) === Events === 7 International Pathfinder Camporee, 2910 Doubletree Ln (CAM-PLEX Park). Aug 6-12 2029. 7th Day Adventists hold their religious event for children every five years and Gillette was selected for a second time. Tens of thousands of children are coming to do community service in the city, participate in events at the CAM-PLEX Park, and worship their lord and savior Jesus Christ. Expect every hotel, motel, and RV spot to be booked. (updated Oct 2024) === Annual events === 8 Brew Fest, Gillette Ave (downtown). Regional and local breweries show up and offer their beer right on the street with live music playing in the background. You can hold your craft beer in one hand and play oversized Jenga or cornhole with the other because drinking is allowed in public for the outdoor event. Or use that free hand to get some food from local vendors. Free. 9 Campbell County Fair, 1635 Reata Dr (at the CAM-PLEX), ☏ +1-307-687-0200, fax: +1-307-685-6636. Rodeos, bands, animal shows, dog race, tractor pull, and pig wrestling are just a few of the things you can find at the fair. The fair is mostly geared towards two types of people; local ranchers and children. The two meet when the families occasionally wander away from the free stage entertainment through the barn areas to see prize pigs, rabbits, sheep, rams, cows, chickens, goats, ducks, and turkeys. If you didn't grow up on a ranch then inside the Central and East Pavilion is a peek into their world. There is a reason farm kids don't have as many allergies as city kids. You will find out once you step through those doors and all the sawdust, a dozen species of animal hair and feathers, and smells that cling to you for hours being blown by high powered fans hits you like a brick. If you can get past that then walk through the pens and crates, maybe even stop for a show or get a free sample of sheep. While the ranchers are friendly they aren't there to entertain you and go about their business. Free. 10 Charity Chili Cook-off, 1635 Reata Dr (at the CAM-PLEX Central Pavilion). Local businesses, groups, the college, and others try to win your vote with samples of chili and salsa. The Central Pavilion is over 40,000 square feet (over 12,000 meters) and it is completely filled with over 30 booths and a large crowd. While orderly the lines are long so spend time talking to locals while waiting. Booths are sorted by last year's rankings; booth number 1 will be the previous year's winner. The quality of the chili starts off great then tapers off to just good. Beer is available at extra cost and a few booths have offered free beer tickets for stunts such as eating a whole ghost pepper. Money from the event goes to local charities such as the YES House and Council of Community Services. $10. 11 Cupcake Wars, 2101 S 4-J Rd (at the Campbell County Public Library). Inspired by the TV show, Cupcake Wars has over a dozen booths of homemade cupcakes each with its own theme and flavor. Tastes range from unbelievably good to finding out what happens when you let small children put whatever ingredients they want into it. After a massive sugar rush vote who had the best booth and taste. Water, plates, and napkins are in the center on tables. Even though there is no seating you have to eat it there because no one is allowed to wander the library stuffing cupcakes. $5. 12 Gillette Gun Club Gun Show, 1635 Reata Dr (at the CAM-PLEX Central Pavilion), mail@gillettegunclub.com. Every year the gun club hosts a weekend long gun show at the CAM-PLEX. The building it is hosted in is 42,000 square feet and the vendors use most of it. Wyoming is extremely gun friendly. No permits are required at the state level to purchase and own a gun nor register with the state, but federal laws still apply. $5 a day/$10 weekend pass. 13 New Years Eve Buck & Ball Rodeo, 1635 Reata Dr (at the CAM-PLEX Wyoming Center), ☏ +1-605-545-7865. Dec 31-Jan 1. Every year the CAM-PLEX hosts the Buck & Ball rodeo. See cowboys from around the region ride bucking broncos and bulls. After the rodeo a ball is held with live country music until the new years starts. $30. 14 Show & Shine, 211 W 2nd St (near the Frontier Auto Museum along S Ross Ave.), ☏ +1-307-686-5667. The Frontier Auto Museum hosts a one-day small classic car show in front of their museum. As a bonus their museum is free to visit that day. If you love free car show, it is worth a look. Free. === Golf === 15 Bell Nob Golf Course, 4600 Overdale Dr, ☏ +1 307 686 7069. 7AM-sunset. 18-hole par 72 championship course and 9-hole par 3 golf course operated by Campbell County. (updated Oct 2024) 16 Gillette Golf Club, 1800 Country Club Rd, ☏ +1 307 682 4774. 18-hole course. (updated Oct 2024) == Buy == The old advice of locals has always been to travel to Rapid City, South Dakota, or Casper, Wyoming, to shop. The biggest reason people say to go out of town is because Gillette doesn't have a classic indoor shopping mall. The only attempt at one failed in the 1990s and was turned into a school learning center. While the old advice is still true, it isn't anywhere near as strong as it used to be as more places to shop have opened up over the decades it has been repeated. Besides some lack of shopping options one of the major problems Gillette has is overall bad customer service. Every city has places with good and bad service, but Gillette on the whole has a much lower bar for what is acceptable. Even worse, service is random. It can be great or terrible so every shopping experience can be an adventure. Another problem is high prices. Being further out of the way and all the money flowing through the hands of coal miners drives the cost of living up. This leads to some places charging even more than the sticker price (MSRP) for products. Despite the problems, Gillette is still a hub for shopping to the surrounding area. People travel an hour away to come to Gillette to get what they need. The major shopping areas are along East and West Lakeway Rd, South Douglas Hwy (Hwy 59), E 2nd St, and S Gillette Ave in the downtown area. Most of the local shops with unique or locally made goods are going to be found downtown. These local shops tend to have much better service as well. 1 Gillette Avenue (Downtown), Gillette Ave, ☏ +1-307-689-8369. The downtown area has a variety of local businesses, cafes, restaurants, and bars. Prices are higher than the chain stores around the city, but they sell things you won't find elsewhere. Some of the buildings are traditional architecture and there are several statues and a mural in the area. Before you go ask the Campbell County Rockpile Museum for their free walking tour pamphlet that explains the history of each building. Keep an eye out for all the statues on every corner. 2 Walmart Supercenter, 2300 S Douglas Hwy (right off Hwy 59), ☏ +1 307 686 4060. 6AM-11PM. It's Walmart, but it has to be listed because everyone, including all the locals extolling the virtues of buying local still go here. Avoid the tight and narrow south entrance from Powder Basin Center. It's a hypermarket with a grocery store, general goods store, pharmacy, deli, tire center, and eye care center. It sells hot food during the day. The pharmacy and deli have different hours than the store. Several other shops are inside including a salon, check cashing, and fast food. (updated Oct 2024) === Groceries === Gillette is a hub for groceries in the area because of the distance to nearby cities. 3 Albertsons, 2610 South Douglas Hwy (in the Powder Basin Center and easiest to see by using Hwy 59), ☏ +1-307-686-7352. 5AM-11PM. Albertsons has the best seafood section in town and high prices on everything to match. A sushi maker works in their deli and makes amazing sushi rolls that are sold ready to go in containers. It is the only supermarket with a liquor license. Also inside the store is a staffed Wells Fargo branch and a small Starbucks. 4 Don's Supermarket, 2610 South Douglas Hwy (directly off Hwy 14/16), ☏ +1-307-687-1086, fax: +1-307-682-5534. Don's is the only local supermarket in Gillette. They have friendly staff and retro style counters and signs from several decades ago. While the owners probably don't consider that a selling point it really feels like stepping back in time. 5 Smith's Food & Drug, 906 Camel Dr (use Hwy 59 and head east on Camel Dr, but turn right before the high school), ☏ +1 307 682 1103. 6AM-midnight. Smiths offers a choice to those averse to Walmart. Besides the typical bakery, deli, pharmacy, and so on, they have one of the very few electric vehicle charging stations in the area. Avoid going here around 3-4PM. That is when the nearby Campbell County High School gets out. There isn't much room on the Camel Dr and it will be clogged with inexperienced young teens rushing to get out as fast as possible. (updated Jun 2024) == Eat == 1 Armando's Taco & Pasta Shop, 2700 S Douglas Hwy, ☏ +1 307 682 2922. (updated May 2024) 2 The Coop, 208 W Second St (The Coop is an easy find on W 2nd St. Look for the small building with a huge roof that looks like an old carhop on the North side of the road.), ☏ +1-307-257-7460. The Coop's rotisserie chicken is the big draw, but don't overlook the pot pie. Their homemade pot pies have about as much in common with a frozen pot pie as homemade mashed potatoes do with instant potatoes out of a box. It comes in a big enough portion enough to fill up anyone but the biggest eaters. (updated Sep 2023) 3 Humphrey's Bar & Grill, 408 W Juniper Ln, ☏ +1-307-682-0100. Humphrey's Bar & Grill has a wide selection of beer, big portions for lunch and dinner, and a few unique food creations. 4 Pizza Carrello, 601 S Douglas Hwy, ☏ +1 307 363 1743, pizzacarrello@gmail.com. Tu-Su 11AM-9PM. Homemade dough and a wood fired oven makes pizzas that are better than anywhere else in the city. Owners are friendly to those who walk a different path in life. Everything feels clean, spacious, and welcoming. Then they top it off with homemade desserts. $7-13 9in personal pizza. (updated Oct 2024) 5 Prime Rib Restaurant and Wine Cellar, 1205 S Douglas Hwy, ☏ +1-307-682-2944, primerib@vcn.com. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F 11AM-10:30PM, Sa 4PM-10PM, Su 4PM-9:30PM. 6 Roberto's, 10698 S Douglas Hwy, ☏ +1-307-682-3850. 5AM-3PM. On Highway 59 just south of Gillette, this little cafe offers simple, cheap, delicious Mexican and American food. === Desserts === Alla Lala Cupcakes and Sweet Things, ☏ +1-480-205-9879. $1.50-2.45 each cupcake. 7 Breanna's Bakery, S Gillette Ave (Downtown on the West side of S Gillette Ave.). Doughnuts, cookies, and fudge. Also sells a variety of regular breads. Prices are slightly higher than chain store bakeries, but worth it for the better taste. They sell out quickly, so get there as early as possible. 8 The Ice Cream Cafe, 202 S Gillette Ave (Downtown on the West side of S Gillette Ave.), ☏ +1 307 686 8110. M-F 7:30AM-9PM, Sa 10AM-9PM, Su noon-6PM. If there was a noticeable class system in Gillette then the Ice Cream Cafe would be in the higher middle class. As with Breanna's Bakery the prices are a bit higher than chains, but completely worth it for the taste. Forget the imitation frozen desserts, this is real ice cream. Once you have decided on ice cream calories don't seem to matter so skip the small pre-made cake cones and go straight to their big chocolate dipped waffle cones with a marshmallow stopper at the bottom to prevent leaks. After that it is just a matter of selecting one or more of several flavors of ice cream. The Ice Cream Cafe always seems to have customers, but the line is never long. (updated Jun 2024) == Drink == 1 Boot Hill, 910 N Gurley Ave, ☏ +1-307-686-6404. 2 Grinners, 5201 S Douglas Hwy (on the corner of the intersection of Hwy 59 and Southern Dr). 3 Rustic 13, 2009 S Douglas Hwy (Inside the Ramada Plaza.), ☏ +1-307-686-3000. 4 Sundance Lounge, 1020 E Hwy 14-16 (from I-90 take exit 128, go west ½ mile), ☏ +1-307-685-2231. 11AM-2AM. == Sleep == Gillette has over 2,000 hotel rooms, many motels, and a few campgrounds one of which is in the middle of the city. There are usually plenty of rooms even during summer events. Prices go up and down in the same cycle as the boom and busts come and go. === Hotels === 1 Best Western Tower West Lodge, 109 N US Hwy 14-16, ☏ +1-307-686-2210, toll-free: +1-800-780-7234, fax: +1-307-682-5105. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. 2 Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 1908 Cliff Davis Dr (From I-90 take exit 126 and go south on Hwy 59. Turn left on E Boxelder Rd then left again on Cliff Davis Dr. It is a large hotel on the left side.), ☏ +1-307-686-9576, dzolnoski@timberlinehotels.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Must be 21 or over to check in. 3 Home2 Suites by Hilton, 1120 Boxelder Rd, ☏ +1-307-257-7040, fax: +1-307-363-4980. 4 La Quinta Inns & Suites, 450 E Boxelder Rd, ☏ +1-307-686-6000, fax: +1-307-686-6001. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Completely nonsmoking, pool, and free wireless internet. $82-93. 5 National 9 Inn, 1020 E Hwy 14-16 (from I-90 take exit 128, go west ½ mile), ☏ +1-844-709-0799. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Amenities include large cable TV, daily newspaper, guest business center, room service, 24-hour coffee bar, outdoor heated pool (seasonal), high speed internet, in-room microwave, and refrigerator. Restaurant, lounge. $49.59, kids 12 and under free, pets $7 pet. === Motels === 6 Arrowhead Motel, 202 S Emerson Ave (right off Hwy 14/16), ☏ +1-307-686-0909. Laundry, coffee, fax, WiFi, copy service, and small pets allowed. 7 Baymont Inn, 2105 Rodgers Dr, ☏ +1-307-686-8600, fax: +1-307-682-1938. WiFi, pets allowed, and laundry. === RV parks === 8 Green Tree's Crazy Woman Campground, 1001 W 2nd St (right off Hwy 14/16 across the street from the Rockpile), ☏ +1-307-682-3665, crazywomancampground@gmail.com. Free WiFi, 50 amp hookups, trees, hot tub, and sauna. 9 High Plains Campground, 1600 S Garner Lake Rd (across from the CAM-PLEX on Garner Lake Rd.), ☏ +1-307-687-7339, info@highplainscampground.com. 65 lots, propane, laundry, gas, full hookups, tenting, pull throughs, and groceries. == Stay safe == There is little to worry about in Gillette. Violent crime is rare and visitors are not targets. It is safe to go around the city without fear day or night. The only threat to visitors is the occasional theft. The best deterrent is to lock your car because thieves do handle checks to find things to steal. The police make their presence known at night, especially when the bars let out. During the day, the newly created traffic unit is cracking down on bad drivers. They won't hesitate to stop you. Out–of–state plates will find an extra set of eyes on them, because of previous drug runners caught passing through. Ignore the occasional beggars along Hwy 59 especially near Walmart. They aren't locals, but drifters passing through. They purposely stick to open private property such as shopping centers. Don't let them sucker you with their cute dogs. Though not perfect, Gillette has many social services including a food pantry, thrift store vouchers, food and rental assistance, job training and placement, soup kitchen, homeless shelter, and so on. If after seeing them you still feel compelled to give to charity, give to the local Council of Community Services or shop at the charity thrift store Seconds on the Avenue which uses its revenue to fund those programs. The police in Gillette are extremely quick. Expect them to show up within a few minutes; they are never far. Often the police will render medical assistance first since they are faster than an ambulance. The sheriff's department is as helpful as the police are fast. Both the police and sheriff's office record all interactions with headcams. 2 Campbell County Sheriff's Office, 600 W Boxelder Rd, ☏ +1 307 687 6160. 8AM-5PM. (updated Sep 2023) 3 Gillette Police Department, 201 E 5th St (same building as City Hall, but use the East entrance), ☏ +1 307 682 5155, fax: +1 307 686 0396, gillettepd@gillettewy.gov. (updated Oct 2024) == Stay healthy == Gillette has always had a shortage of doctors. Most of the established family doctors won't see new patients, much less visitors. Call around first anyways because they charge less than the walk-in clinics do. Dentists are especially hard to get into. They almost always refer problems such as chipped and broken teeth to the emergency room at the hospital. The ER can patch you up, for a price, both in time and money. Those coming to the ER with serious problems are seen immediately with no issue, while the rest must wait and wait and wait. Expect to spend at least 3-4 hours if not much longer at the ER for any reason other than a true emergency. While there are several pharmacies in Gillette, Walmart is usually the cheapest for prescriptions. 4 Campbell County Memorial Hospital, 501 S Burma Ave (use the rear entrance for the ER and Walk-In Clinic; use the parking garage in front for the rest), ☏ +1 307 688 1000. For non-emergencies the hospital runs a Walk-In Clinic during the day and unless you have a true emergency it leaves the rest to a several hour long wait at the ER. The cafeteria and cafe are open during the day, but at night you will have to settle for vending machines scattered across the hospital on multiple floors. The hospital has a blood lab, radiology unit with an MRI machine, a heliport for life flights to Denver, maternity, internists, and a psychiatric unit. 5 BestMed Urgent Care, 2201 S Douglas Hwy (Easiest to use S Douglas Hwy. The clinic is in the front and Black Hills Orthopedic & Spine is in the back. Inside they both share one building with no wall so it's possible to park on either side of the building and reach the clinic.), ☏ +1 307 370 1574. Urgent Care offers an alternative to the hospital's walk-in clinic. (updated May 2024) == Cope == === Religious services === While Gillette isn't an extremely religious place it does offer a diverse range of religious services for a rural community in rural state. 6 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2903 Allen Ave. This LDS church is the Gillette Stake. 7 Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, 610 S Kendrick Ave (on the corner of S Kendrick Ave and E 7th St), ☏ +1 605 716 0519. (updated Oct 2024) 8 Queresha Masjid, 1410 Country Club Rd (a converted house on a long private driveway off Country Club Rd.). The first and only mosque in Gillette and one of just a few in the entire state. Operated by the Khan family. 9 Trinity Lutheran Church, 1001 E 9th St (use either Hwy 59 or E 2nd St (Hwy 14/16) to reach the very tall obvious brick building on the corner of S Gurley Ave and E 9th St), ☏ +1-307-682-4886, trinity@vcn.com. 10 St. Matthew's Catholic Church, 900 Butler Spaeth Rd, ☏ +1 307 682 3319, fax: +1 307 682 6386. M-Th 8AM-5PM F 8AM-3PM. The Catholic church is part of the larger St. Matthew's Catholic Community. (updated Oct 2024) == Connect == 11 Campbell County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1810 S Douglas Hwy (a small trailer in the north-east corner of the Flying J parking lot on Highway 59 just off of Exit 126), ☏ +1-307-686-0040. The visitor's center is a great place for information. Besides being helpful they have many pamphlets and a slick brochure of the area they produce. Coal mine and Durham Buffalo Ranch tours start in their parking lot. 12 Campbell County Public Library, 2101 S 4-J Rd, ☏ +1 307 682 3223. M-Th 9AM-9PM F-Sa 9AM-5PM. The library is full of old fashioned and high-end technology at the same time with its maker space. There are enough paintings and statues scattered around to consider it a small art gallery. They hold regular events for young children and teens. Free. (updated Oct 2024) 13 Daly Memorial Library, 300 W Sinclair St (go to the Gillette College Main Building front entrance and walk straight behind the reception desk into the commons area on the first floor; the library is on the left near the rear entrance), ☏ +1-307-681-6220. The college library is open to the public and uses the same library card system as the Campbell County Public Library. It is much smaller and has less equipment available, but being part of the college gives access to an ATM and a cafe right outside the library. Unlike the county library the computers and internet can be used without a library card. Use the password taped to the top of the monitor to log in. Free. == Go next == If you are headed east be sure to visit Devils Tower National Monument on your way into the Black Hills National Forest. Mount Rushmore National Memorial is overrated, but Custer State Park, the Needles Highway, and the various caves of the Black Hills National Forest are all worth checking out. If you are headed west take Hwy 16 on into Yellowstone National Park. Watch out for bison!