Keyhole State Park
Pine Ridge Road, Moorcroft, WY
Moorcroft, WY
A quiet reservoir on the edge of the Black Hills country, with Devils Tower rising in the distance.
Keyhole State Park is a wide reservoir set in the rolling plains and pine ridges of northeast Wyoming, a landscape that feels like the doorstep to the Black Hills just across the state line. The water is the draw for many visitors, who come to fish, boat, and camp, but the setting is what makes it memorable. On a clear day the distinctive profile of Devils Tower stands on the western horizon, giving the park a backdrop like nowhere else in the region.
The reservoir was created by a dam on the Belle Fourche River, and the shoreline it formed has become a magnet for wildlife. Waterfowl, shorebirds, and birds of prey gather around the coves and marshes, and the mix of prairie, water, and ponderosa pine supports a range of animals that makes the park a favorite of birdwatchers as well as anglers.
What Guests Love
- Boating and fishing on the open water of the reservoir
- Distant views of Devils Tower rising above the plains
- Watching for the many bird species that use the shoreline and marshes
- Camping under some of the darkest skies in the region
Worth Knowing
- The park is open year round, with a day use fee and multiple campground areas
- Water levels on the reservoir can vary with the season and the river flow
- Summer afternoons can bring sudden wind and thunderstorms on the open water
- Services are limited nearby, so stock up in Moorcroft before arriving
Details
Moorcroft, WY
Learn about Keyhole State Park
A reservoir on the Belle Fourche
The heart of the park is the reservoir held back by a dam on the Belle Fourche River. The impounded water spreads across the low country to form a broad lake with an irregular, inlet filled shoreline, the kind of shape that gives boaters quiet coves to explore and anglers plenty of edge water to work.
The reservoir supports a warm water fishery, and the open expanse is well suited to boating and paddling. Because the park sits away from major towns, the water rarely feels crowded, and it is easy to find a stretch of shoreline to yourself even in the warmer months.
A view toward Devils Tower
One of the park's signature features is the view. From many points along the shore, the flat topped column of Devils Tower rises on the western horizon, a landmark of the northern plains and the first national monument in the country. Seeing it from across the water at Keyhole gives a sense of the scale of the surrounding country.
The park sits in a transition zone where the grasslands of the high plains give way to the pine covered ridges that build toward the Black Hills. That blend of prairie and forest is part of what makes the setting feel open and expansive, with long sightlines in nearly every direction.
A haven for birds
The mix of open water, marshy inlets, grassland, and pine makes Keyhole one of the better birding spots in this corner of the state. The shoreline draws waterfowl and shorebirds, while pelicans and other large water birds pass through on migration, and raptors hunt the surrounding plains.
The variety changes with the seasons, so a spring or fall visit can turn up species moving along the flyway that are absent in high summer. For visitors willing to walk the shoreline quietly with binoculars, the park rewards patience.
Camping and quiet
Several campground areas are spread around the reservoir, ranging from developed sites to simpler spots closer to the water. The relative isolation of the park means little light pollution, and on clear nights the sky fills with stars, making it a fine place to camp for those who want quiet and darkness.
Because the nearest full services are back in Moorcroft, the park keeps an unhurried, out of the way feel. Many visitors treat it as a restful base for exploring the wider Devils Tower and Black Hills country that surrounds it.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Moorcroft
Devils Tower National Monument
About 30 miles northwest
The country's first national monument, a striking column of rock sacred to many Northern Plains tribes and famous among climbers and stargazers.
Moorcroft
About 12 miles southwest
A small plains town on the old Texas Trail cattle route, the nearest place for fuel, food, and supplies.
Belle Fourche River country
Surrounding the park
Rolling grassland and pine ridges along the river that drains this corner of Wyoming toward the Black Hills.