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If you're looking for Gillette Stadium, have a look at Foxborough

Gillette is a city in Northeast Wyoming halfway between Sundance and Sheridan on I-90.

Understand

At the visitor overlook platform next to Eagle Butte Mine you can see one of the most visible jobs at a working coal mine in an industry that employs nearly 6,000 people in the area.

Gillette is a coal mining town with a population of about 30,000. Because of the coal, oil, and natural gas production, the city calls itself the energy capital of the nation.

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 slighly, 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 it self 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

Guns and hunting have always been part of the culture of Gillette. In the past the great antelope roundup drew hunters from around the country.

Gillette is a blue-collar city where you will find tradesmen, coal miners, and a few large sunburned men sporting bushy beards. Mixed in with them are the occasional ranchers, clean shaven with their cowboy hats and shiny belt buckles. Women also dress casually, many still in their work hoodies and nurse scrubs. Suits are so rare that most of the lawyers and politicians don't wear them. Ethnic clothes are almost only worn by foreign tourists.

Politically, Gillette is one of the most Republican places in the country. Bumper stickers read "if you don't like coal don't use electricity" and signs with coal trucks tell residents to stay strong. People openly discuss their dislike of Democrats while also being cautious of some Republicans. A small streak of libertarianism runs through the region due to the culture of independence much of it from those who live out in the county such as the ranchers that want the government to leave them alone. The Green Party has no official presence in the state and Democrats will find themselves massively outnumbered.

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 wont be Gillette. Drugs are a problem visitors will never encounter apart from the rare gaunt-faced creature licking their lips through missing teeth with serious skin problems. They remind everyone the billboards against meth are there for a reason.

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.

Climate

Gillette
Climate chart (explanation)
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation+Snow totals in inches
See Gillette's 7 day forecast
Metric conversion
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation+Snow totals in mm

Windy, cold, and dry. These are the words visitors use to describe Gillette. Keep water handy if you are from a humid climate and always have winter clothes for any season besides summer.

Get in

By car

Highway 59 is one of the main roads through Gillette and is one of the busiest during the evening.

Located 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 convenience store). The bus stop is an outdoor stop, but you can wait around for it inside the sit down eating area inside the convenience store. No need to stand in the snow or sun. 

By plane

The airport is spotless, maintained, and completely empty if a plane isn't coming. While not worth seeing by itself if you do fly in 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.

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.

Get around

Map
Map of Gillette

A simple town layout, but if you are still lost, use your phone or ask a local (they are very friendly!)

'Grid' Downtown is marked by

  • N-S roads being named, for famous people in the area, as well as Gilette Ave.
  • W-E roads are numbered, and called streets. The numbering amplifies with increasing south distance from Gilette Ave, and matches the address code as well. The numbering ends around 15th Street.

By car

Gillette is best navigated by car. Parking in the city is free and street parking is plentiful while all 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. In warmer weather it isn't uncommon for people to park recreational vehicles, 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 separate bike paths are not always cleared during winter. Even when the paths are cleared the snow can melt in the day and freeze at night creating sheets of ice.

By taxi

Taxi service in Gillette is slow because of the distances they take passengers. It can take up to an hour before they pick you up. Since the services don't give an exact time you will be waiting outside in the heat or snow for a while.

See

  • 1 Festival of Lights, Saddlehorn Rd (in the CAM-PLEX park), ☏ +1-307-686-5187. 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. 
  • 2 Remington Estates, Southern Dr (Just off the intersection of Enzi Dr and Southern Dr is a residential subdivision. It's the only one.). Love guns? So does Gillette. The city and the developers love them so much they have accidentally created a minor roadside attraction few ever noticed. The quiet subdivision, its roads, an apartment complex, and a storage unit are all named after various types of guns and manufacturers. Come pose at the corner of Glock Avenue and Benelli Drive. Or take a picture of Beretta Lane, Marlin Court, Derringer Drive, or Musket Court street names. Wyoming is a constitutional carry state and no one bats an eye at open carry in the city, but be mindful that it's just a regular subdivision full of regular people. Free. (updated Sep 2023)

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.

  • 3 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. The quality varies as much as the subject matter does. Free. 
  • 4 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. 
  • 5 Sculpture Walk, 804 S Emerson Ave (south garden in Mount Pisgah Cemetery). The county cemetery district has a similar program to the Avenues of Art for artists to showcase their work for sale while also buying pieces for permanent display. While there are a few scattered sculptures across the grounds the Sculpture Walk pieces are at Inspiration Garden in the southern part of the cemetery. Quality ranges from good to a small Stonehenge replica made of old coal bucket shovels. Free. 

History

This retired haul truck at the Energy Equipment Park is 18 feet tall, 23 feet wide, 65 feet long, and weighs 235,000 pounds. It is small in comparison to modern-day haul trucks in use at the mines.
  • 6 Museum of the Powder River Basin (Campbell County Rockpile Museum), 900 W Second St (next to the large rock pile off Hwy 14/16), ☏ +1-307-682-5723, fax: +1-307-686-8528, . M-Sa 9AM-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 homesteader, cowboy, railroad, farming, coal mining, American Indian, geology, and local history. Has a few hands on displays with old items. 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 annex building to see the larger displays and old school houses. $10. 
  • 7 Energy Equipment Park (near the CAM-PLEX multi-events center). A large outdoor display of retired coal mining, oil drilling, and agricultural heavy equipment. You can take your photo with a coal haul truck from Jacob's Ranch Mine the size of a house or dragline buckets you could drive a car into. The plaque for one of the tires says it was the largest tire in the world in the early 1990s. Unfortunately many of the pieces of equipment now have graffiti. Also, watch where you step because people don't clean up after their dogs. Free. 
  • 8 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. Gillette Post Office (Q5562162) on Wikidata Gillette Post Office on Wikipedia 

Overlooks

Gillette is a contrasting view of trees surrounded by the treeless high plains. Across the city are the many trailers, ranch style homes, and plain commercial buildings. The backdrop is buttes and coal-fired power plants. While perhaps not a majestic sight, these are the characteristics of the city.
  • 9 Eagle Butte Coal Mine public viewing area (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. Since the area is unstaffed there is some graffiti on the shovel and tire. Free. Eagle Butte Mine (Q5325038) on Wikidata Eagle Butte Mine on Wikipedia 
  • 10 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 Sep 2023)

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, . 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, 250 Shoshone Ave, ☏ +1-307-682-8527. 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. 
If you need to get away and relax go to Dalbey Memorial Park even if it's winter.
  • 3 Dalbey Memorial Park, 900 Edwards St, ☏ +1-307-689-8369, . 7AM-11PM. Where there is water there is life and with a little help from the city transplanting and stocking it becomes the Gillette Fishing Lake with year round fishing including ice fishing. Besides the water there are several large shelters, a few playgrounds, and restrooms. For sports there are several baseball fields, a football field, a large disc golf course around the lake, a spot for horseshoes, and canoes are allowed on the lake. Signs warn of high bacteria counts so don't plan to swim in it or let your pets in the water. Fishing in Wyoming requires a license which is sold at Rocky Mountain Discount Sports, Sportsman's Warehouse, CBH CO-OP, and Walmart. Free, fishing $14/day nonresident. Dalbey Memorial Park (Q49481684) on Wikidata 
  • 4 Gillette Wild, 121 S 4-J Rd, ☏ +1 307 687-1555, . 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, ☏ +1-307-686-3821. What started out as a mall was bought by the Campbell County School District and turned into the Lakeway Learning Center many years ago. While the center is for the local students it does have public hours where anyone can visit for free. 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, and live and stuffed animals. Many of the exhibits are interactive including a large electronic monitor that slides over a virtual human body showing it scanned with a CAT scan, MRI, x-ray, and gamma radiation. It's best for younger kids as adults will find the only real joy available at the science center is watching your children having fun. Free. 

Annual events

  • 6 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. 
  • 7 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. 
  • 8 Charity Chili Cook-off, 1635 Reata Dr (at the CAM-PLEX Central Pavillion). Local businesses, groups, the college, and others try to win your vote with samples of chili and salsa. The Central Pavillion 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. 
  • 9 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. 
  • 10 Gillette Gun Club Gun Show, 1635 Reata Dr (at the CAM-PLEX Central Pavillion), . 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. 
  • 11 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. 
  • 12 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

Buy

The old advice of locals has always been to travel to Rapid City, South Dakota or Casper, Wyoming to shop. While still true, that advice isn't as strong as it used to be as more shops 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 poor customer service. Every city has places with good and bad service, but Gillette on the whole has a lower bar for what is acceptable service. Another is higher prices because of the higher cost of living in the area with some shops charging even more than the manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP or sticker price) for products.

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 regionally made goods are downtown.

Downtown Gillette is the historic area of the city and it's lined with local shops and art. Many of the street events take place here.
  • 1 Seconds on the Avenue (Downtown), 203 S Gillette Ave. Every thrift store is unique, though Seconds on the Avenue stands out for its good prices, varied inventory, and its charitable goal. This non-profit is part of the larger Council of Community Services and money spent helps the local area. Items are mostly priced by type rather than individually which can lead to better deals. While some of the items are clearly junk many are still in very good or like new condition. Seconds on the Avenue stocks clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture, housewares, electronics, toys, books, music, video games, and the more unique items such as an occasional fine doll or large electric organ. 
  • 2 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. 
  • 3 Walmart Supercenter, 2300 S Douglas Hwy (right off Hwy 59), ☏ +1-307-686-4060. 24 hr. The Gillette Walmart is the same as other supercenters except smaller. It started as a regular Walmart and expanded into a supercenter without enough space. Avoid busy hours because it is packed. Don't take the south entrance from Powder Basin Center because it has a narrow harsh turn. The severely dented barricades can attest to that. As with any Walmart it is a combination of a grocery store, general goods store, pharmacy, deli, and tire center. It sells cooked hot food during the day. The pharmacy and deli are not open 24 hr. Several other shops are inside including a salon, check cashing, and fast food. If you only need a big selection and lowest prices this is the place to go, but if you want anything beyond that try other stores. 

Eat

Gillette is known for coal not food. Despite that there are several local restaurants and cafes worth eating at.

  • 1 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 over look 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)
  • 2 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. 
  • 3 Pizza Carrello, 601 S Douglas Hwy, ☏ +1-307-363-1743, . M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM. The formerly mobile Pizza Carrello now has their own restaurant with a bar that looks new and clean. They still use a wood fired oven which makes pizzas that have a completely different flavor compared to anywhere else in the city, but at a higher price. While the alternative crowd is still visible families and couples are also showing up. You can also find Pizza Carrello at seemingly every event with their mobile oven. $6-13 personal pizza. 
  • 4 Prime Rib Restaurant and Wine Cellar, 1205 S Douglas Hwy, ☏ +1-307-682-2944, . M-Th 11AM-10PM, F 11AM-10:30PM, Sa 4PM-10PM, Su 4PM-9:30PM. 
  • 5 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. 

Groceries

Gillette is a hub for groceries in the area because of the distance to nearby cities.

  • 6 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. 
  • 7 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. 
  • 8 Smith's Food & Drug, 906 Camel Dr (use Hwy 59 and head east on Camel Dr, but turn right before the high school because their parking lot doesn't allow thru traffic), ☏ +1-307-682-1103. 24 hr. Go to Smith's for the best stocked and kept produce section or if you need 24 hr service and are averse to Walmart, but don't expect friendly service or low prices. 

Desserts

  • Alla Lala Cupcakes and Sweet Things, ☏ +1-480-205-9879. $1.50-2.45 each cupcake. 
  • 9 Breanna's Bakery, 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. 
  • 10 The Ice Cream Cafe, 202 S Gillette Ave, ☏ +1-307-686-8110. 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. Once you have decided on ice cream calories don't seem to matter so skip the small premade 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. 

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, . 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 Motel 6, 2105 Rodgers Dr, ☏ +1-307-686-8600, fax: +1-307-682-1938. WiFi, pets allowed, and laundry. 

RV parks

Stay safe

The police make their presence known at night especially when the bars let out. Vehicles speeding with out of state plates will find an extra set of eyes on them because of previous drug runners caught passing through.

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. The only threat to visitors is theft. The best deterrent is to not leave things behind and lock your doors because thieves do check for unlocked car doors.

Ignore the occasional beggars in the summer along Hwy 59 especially near the interstate exits and Walmart. They aren't locals, but drifters passing through. 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 then give to the local Council of Community Services which runs many of those programs.

The police and sheriff's office respond quickly even to minor problems. Their phone lines aren't busy unless power is out across parts of the city and everyone is calling them. Both wear head cams and record all interactions.

Stay healthy

You can't miss Campbell County Memorial Hospital, just look on the hill for the large off-white blocky building.

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 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 serious 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 Urgent Care, 2201 S Douglas Hwy, ☏ +1-307-670-8170. Occupying a former bank, Urgent Care provides an alternative to the hospital's clinic with longer hours and weekend service. 

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 Enchanted Thyme, 801 E 4th Ste 1 (on the 2nd floor of the large Boardwalk building), ☏ +1-307-228-3140. While mostly a new age or Wiccan store they offer paid services for spiritual counseling and crystal reiki healing. 
  • 8 Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, 610 S Kendrick Ave (on the corner of S Kendrick Ave and E 7th St), ☏ +1-307-267-7189, . 
  • 9 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. 
  • 10 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, . 
  • 11 St. Matthew's Catholic Church, 900 Butler Spaeth Rd, ☏ +1-307-682-3319, fax: +1-307-682-6386. The Catholic church is part of the larger St. Matthew's Catholic Community. 

Connect

As you visit and leave Gillette keep an eye on the haystack topography of buttes that are everywhere. Carved by ancient water sources they are topped with rocks called clinker changed by burning coal on the top.
  • 12 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. 
  • 13 Campbell County Public Library, 2101 S 4-J Rd, ☏ +1-307-682-3223. The public library has wireless internet access, a free phone for local calls, a fax machine, photocopiers, a microfilm reader, and a 3D printer. With a library card you can access computers with wired internet, a scanner, and a black and white laser printer. A few paintings and sculptures line the east walls and a reading room north has more art, historical displays, and rare books. The library holds regular hands on events for young children and anime and gaming events for teens. 
  • 14 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 over-rated, 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 buffalo!

Routes through Gillette
Billings ← Buffalo ←  W  E  → Moorcroft → Rapid City
Yellowstone N.P. ← Sheridan ←  W  E  → Moorcroft → Rapid City
Yellowstone N.P. ← Buffalo ←  W  E  → Moorcroft → Rapid City
Miles City ← Jct W E ← becomes ←  N  S  → Douglas → Ends at


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