Looking to spend more time at Devils Tower National Monument?
Camp here at beautiful Belle Fourche River Campground!
LOCATION
Devils Tower National Monument is located in the northeastern corner of Wyoming off Highway 24. It’s about an hour west of the towns of Spearfish or Belle Fourche in South Dakota, and an hour northeast of Gillette, Wyoming.
LENGTH
1.7 mile loop hike
DIFFICULTY
Easy — The trail is paved with little elevation gain, although it has some ups and downs. It is accessible for many.
WE HIKED IT
July, 2022, around 1.5 hours at a slow pace with frequent photo stops
CURRENT INFO
For general information about Devils Tower National Monument, visit the National Park Service website. Find information about the Devils Tower Trail and other trails at the monument online here. A map for the Devils Tower Trail is available on the AllTrails website.
GOOD TO KNOW
- Bring your America the Beautiful Pass. If you don’t have an America the Beautiful Pass, you can purchase one at the Devils Tower National Monument entrance station. Some visitors, including fourth graders, active military, and seniors, may qualify for a free or reduced price pass, but you may have to register for or purchase the pass online ahead of time. You can also pay the $25 entrance fee instead (credit card or digital payments only).
- Parking is limited. We had no difficulty finding a spot, although the monument was indeed crowded, but sometimes the Visitor Center parking lot fills up. A special trailer lot is located below near the picnic area, and the National Park Service recommends that no vehicles over 19 feet park at the Visitor Center.
- Restrooms and drinking water are available at the trailhead.
- Pets are not allowed on hiking trails at Devils Tower National Monument. Leashed pets are allowed in the picnic areas and campground.
- Bring water, shade hats, and sunscreen on sunny days. It was in the 90s during our visit, which sent me reaching for my water bottle frequently. The Devils Tower Trail is fairly shady, but there are some open areas where you can really feel the heat.
- Devils Tower is sacred to many Native American tribes. Please respect this special place and do not touch or photograph the prayer flags.
- Always follow Leave No Trace principles.
HIGHLIGHTS
You may think you’ve seen Devils Tower as you gaze up from the Visitor Center, but believe me, you’ll appreciate it all the more when you take the time to circumnavigate this intriguing basalt column. As you round each bend, the view shifts, providing the opportunity to experience the tower from a whole new perspective. Early morning or late afternoon light adds to the dramatic effect.
THE KIDS’ TAKE
The kids were relieved to learn our hike at Devils Tower would be short. More than anything, the heat was getting to them, but they were mollified by the promise of ice cream after the hike. Two shops near the park entrance sell ice cream cones, which can be a great incentive when dealing with tired kiddos.
The hike turned out to be a lot of fun, with boulders to explore along the trail and other fun surprises. For example, did you know someone once parachuted to the top of the tower as a stunt, only to be stranded for nearly a week? Learn this story and more from the interpretive signs along the route. Last but not least, don’t forget to pick up Junior Ranger booklets from the Visitor Center before you start your hike!
WHILE YOU’RE HERE
Don’t mistake Devils Tower National Monument for a one-trick pony — there are several other hiking trails here worth exploring. On our visit, we stuck with the easy Devils Tower Trail largely because of the heat, as no one felt like a longer, more exposed hike. If you’re inclined to do a little more, check out the Red Beds Trail or the Joyner Ridge Trail.
Visiting with kids? Find Junior Ranger booklets at the Visitor Center. The center also offers a few exhibits about Devils Tower, including flora and fauna, Native American legends, and the history of climbing the tower. It includes a National Park gift shop with all the usual suspects for sale. Just outside the park entrance gate, ice cream and other snacks are available at the KOA Campstool Cafe or Devils Tower Trading Post. A shady picnic area is found in the lower section of the national monument near the campground.
Most people just make a daytime stop at Devils Tower before driving on, but it’s a lovely place to camp overnight. Belle Fourche River Campground offers campsites on a first come, first served basis, and is rarely full. We spent the night here and loved this special spot with its giant cottonwood trees and views of Devils Tower.
Our Experience
We arrived at Devils Tower National Monument on a scorching hot afternoon. OK, so “scorching hot” may be a bit of an exaggeration, but to us Pacific Northwesterners, temperatures in the mid-nineties are pretty darn intense. We opted for the short and Sweet Devils Tower Trail rather than attempt the somewhat longer and hillier Red Beds Trail.
The Devils Tower Trail is by far the most popular trail in the park. The trailhead was crowded with folks of all ages, and the parking lot was consistently at or near capacity. It’s understandable, as this trail offers the best up close look at Devils Tower (for non-rock climbers, that is). The paved path winds gently up and down as it circles the tower, making it accessible for many who may not be up for a more strenuous hike.
The trail also offers numerous interpretive signs along the route. At the start of the hike, a scale model of Devils Tower cast in bronze offers blind visitors the chance to “see” the tower through touch. It’s a great experience for sighted visitors as well. Other signs share Native legends of the tower, and remind visitors that this is a sacred place for many local tribes. Please respect the prayer flags you see, and don’t photograph or touch them.
We followed a counterclockwise loop around the tower, following the paved path through a jumble of fallen boulders as we headed out. It seemed that every few steps brought new and enticing views of the monument.
Soon, a short side trail led to a view overlooking the verdant Belle Fourche River Valley. I stopped for a moment to take in the green expanse below us, then the red cliffs in the distance and the thin silver ribbon of the Belle Fourche River. Devils Tower isn’t the only reason to visit this corner of Wyoming; the surrounding countryside captures the imagination as well.
We continued along the trail and the views kept coming. The scent of pine was heavy in the humid afternoon air, and wispy white clouds drifted across the sky.
The trail drew closer to the base of the tower. Looking up, we discovered a new formation in the rock, a subtle arch carved into the massive stone wall. The kids were convinced it would make the perfect entrance to a secret hidden base.
As we neared the halfway point, another landmark appeared. Called the “window”, a large rectangular section of the tower loomed above us. Long ago, the basalt columns above this formation broke away from the rest, exposing more columns that previously lay hidden.
It was now late afternoon, and Devils Tower effectively blocked the sun from the trail, providing a shady break from the heat of the day. It also created more dramatic views as we rounded the bend, with the pine needles reflecting the warm glow of the sun.
Dappled sunlight shone through the pine branches as we walked the final section of the trail. Hot as it was, I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful day to be on the trail.
A final short detour led to an open view of Devils Tower — and yet another photo op. We convinced our older son, J, to take a photo of his parents at the base of the tower, something we rarely do. Sweaty as we were, I can’t say we looked our best (and no, I’m not going to share it here), but it’s the memories that count, right?
We soon found ourselves back at the trailhead. The kids ran down the path, eager to refill their water bottles. Short, sweet, and undeniably gorgeous, the Devils Tower Loop Trail is a wonderful way to appreciate the beauty of our country’s first National Monument.
