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Visiting Devils Tower Wyoming

July 8, 2021

Devils Tower National Monument is an 867-foot-tall geological wonder in the northeast corner of Wyoming. It’s about 6 hours from the Western Entrance of Yellowstone. It’s also a great side-trip destination for those visiting the Black Hills of South Dakota, especially the northern territories such as Spearfish Canyon, Deadwood, and Sturgis. You can get from these areas to Devils Tower in about 1.5 hours or less, depending on which route you take and where you start out. For an absolutely gorgeous scenic drive, take 24 West from Bella Fourche.

How Much Does it Cost to Visit Devils Tower?

If you’re an America the Beautiful Annual Pass holder, your entrance fee will be free. Otherwise, it’s $25 for a 1-7 non-commercial day pass. You can visit the site 24 hours a day year-round, but the Visitor Center is only open on a limited basis.

How was Devils Tower Formed?

Although today Devils Tower rises high above the surrounding landscape, 50 million years ago it began as magma 1-2 miles underneath the Earth’s surface. Geologists still debate how this magma cooled. Some theories suggest this occurred underground and was exposed by erosion over time. Others claim the tower is the remnant neck of an extinct volcano. 

The tower's unique vertical columns are one of a kind igneous rocks made from lava, and they represent the largest of their kind in the world.

How Close Can You Get to Devils Tower?

There is a paved trail that encircles the tower and a large boulder field at its base. Starting from the parking lot, it rises steeply to the footprint of the tower where it remains pretty flat from there. This is the closest you can view the tower without obtaining a climbing permit.

Hiking Trails at Devils Tower

There are 5 hiking trails within the park, and no pets are allowed on any trail. 

Tower Trail — 1.3 miles round trip on a paved path with a steep but brief incline at the start

Valley View Trail — 0.6 miles round trip  through a prairie with views of the Belle Fourche River

South Side Trail — 0.6 miles round trip through an area with prairie dogs

Red Beds Trail — 2.8 miles round trip with gorgeous views of the tower from a distance

Joyner Ridge Trail — 1.5 miles round trip with a wide landscape view of the tower

Devils Tower Climbing

A premier climbing destination in North America for its crack climbing, climbers are required to register at a kiosk located at the start of Tower Trail. It’s important to check the Climbing Closure page in advance as there are often temporary closures for nesting falcons. There is also a voluntary June climbing closure in observance of Native American cultural ceremonies.

Best Views of Devils Tower

There’s nothing like standing at the base of Devils Tower and looking up at its spectacular columns stretching overhead. With that said, there are several other amazing outlying areas for viewing and photographing the tower both in and outside of the park. My favorite is a view seen from West Road, also known as the scenic drive, which is a dirt road that splits off to the left when you’re driving into the main road and parking area. 

I recommend visiting Tower Trail first and then driving the scenic road on your way out. It’s especially gorgeous at sunset as seen in the photograph at the top of this post.

Camping Near Devils Tower

The Belle Fourche Campground, generally open May 15 to Oct 15, is a 46-site campground nestled under cottonwood trees. No reservations are accepted, with sites being claimed on a first-come-first-served basis. 

There’s also a Devils Tower KOA right outside the park that offers more amenities and reservation options.

How Long Do You Need at Devils Tower?

You could spend as little as 1 hour at Devils Tower and still walk much of Tower Trail, while also having time to take the scenic road for more diverse views. If you love to hike and climb, you could very easily spend the full day here. It would also be an interesting place to experiment with deep sky or astrophotography.

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Image Credits from top:

Devils Tower National Monument from a scenic drive in the park + subsequent Devils Tower pictures - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Devils Tower Rock Climbing - Howder Family/https://www.flickr.com/photos/96225726@N08/21386533182/; Ron Karpel - Ron - stock.adobe.com; Devils Tower KOA camping - Ceedub13/https://www.flickr.com/photos/29605922@N03/7743819510/; Crazy Horse Memorial - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Best Black Hills Hidden Gems - Craig Zerbe - stock.adobe.com; Deadwood - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Nomad Goods product images courtesy of Nomad Goods; Trail Ridge Road - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; for Pin image credits, please click on the relevant pin