Buying Land in Crook County, Wyoming

No zoning code -- but a real 2022 rule specifically targets the 35-140 acre range

Crook County has not adopted a countywide zoning or building code, which puts it among the roughly six Wyoming counties the state hub identifies as unzoned. A Crook County Land Use Plan exists in draft form, but a land use plan is explicitly not enforceable without a zoning ordinance behind it -- it functions as a policy guide in dealings with state and federal agencies, not as a rule that binds a private landowner.

What Crook County does have, and what makes it worth understanding before you buy, is the Large Acreage Subdivision Regulation, adopted by resolution effective December 1, 2022 under a long-standing state-law option (W.S. 18-5-316) in response to what the county described as "a significant increase in lands being developed in large acreage developments." It applies to divisions creating 35-to-140-acre lots -- exactly the range Wyoming's general subdivision law otherwise exempts -- adding county review of roads, access, drainage, and utility easements that wouldn't apply under the state exemption alone. See our dedicated Large Acreage Subdivision page for what the rule actually requires, a real workaround developers found, and an exemption gap still being debated.

Devils Tower is the county's defining landmark -- and a real driver of land demand

Crook County is home to Devils Tower National Monument, the nation's first national monument and a landmark recognizable well beyond Wyoming, anchoring a region also known for its Native American heritage and its position at the edge of the Black Hills. Large-acreage properties in the 35-140 acre range that the county's own subdivision rule now specifically regulates are frequently marketed for their Devils Tower views or Black Hills proximity -- meaning the same size band that draws extra county review is also the size band most in demand from recreational and second-home buyers. That combination is worth factoring into a purchase timeline: a parcel advertised with a view of the Tower may take longer to legally create or subdivide than the listing implies.

Devils Tower drives a real, measurable land economy

Devils Tower National Monument is more than a scenic backdrop for Crook County real estate listings -- it's a measurable driver of the local economy, and that context helps explain why acreage near it commands a premium. National Park Service visitor-spending data for 2023 found that Devils Tower visitors spent roughly $37.6 million in nearby communities, supporting about 492 local jobs, $14.9 million in labor income, and $48.9 million in total economic output for the surrounding area. Visitation has stayed strong in the years since a 2021 record of 550,712 visitors, with 540,890 recorded in 2024.

That steady visitor base feeds directly into the large-acreage recreational-land market this page's subdivision section describes: current listings near the monument include a 1,137-acre parcel in the Devils Tower area priced at $4.6 million and a 3,429-deeded-acre ranch (plus an adjoining 400-acre U.S. Forest Service grazing permit) less than four air miles from the Tower, listed at $15 million -- both marketed primarily on Devils Tower views and Black Hills proximity rather than agricultural production value. County-wide, Crook ranks eighth among Wyoming's 23 counties by combined acreage currently listed for sale, with roughly 100,000 acres on the market worth a combined $253 million and a median asking price around $8,673 per acre -- context worth having before assuming a specific large-acreage listing's price reflects only its ranching or farming value rather than the recreational and view premium Devils Tower proximity adds.