Visiting Devils Tower National Monument In Wyoming: Is It Worth It?

Devils Tower National Monument is undoubtably a remarkable geological wonder, but is it worth visiting when you road trip through Wyoming or around South Dakota’s Black Hills? The short answer is yes, it’s definitely worth visiting. We’d seen photos of Devils Tower before arriving, but we thought the unique and striking formation was so much better in person.

In this guide we explain everything you need to know about visiting Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming for the first time, based on our experience. We’re convinced that by the end you’ll agree it’s worth a quick stop on your itinerary.

Our Experience

We’ve driven the amazing Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone road trip twice. The first time back in 2019 we actually missed Devils Tower, so we made sure to include it in our itinerary when we drove the same route again in 2021. And it turned out to be one of our favorite stops on the trip because it’s easy to visit, it doesn’t take long, there’s a couple of great hikes and the formation is incredibly photogenic.

After arriving, we walked around the base of Devils Tower on the flat and paved Tower Trail. This gave us close up looks at the tower from all sides, and it was a nice gentle way to blow the cobwebs off. Next, we drove to Joyner Ridge and enjoyed spectacular views across golden meadows leading to the skyline dominating Devils Tower. On the way out we stopped at Prairie Dog Town for a quick walk and that was it. Easy!

READ: 10 places you can’t miss in Wyoming

What Is Devils Tower?

So what exactly is it you’ll be visiting? Devils Tower started out as magma buried beneath the surface and surrounded by sedimentary rock layers. When those weaker sedimentary rocks eroded due to weathering over time, the magma cooled, cracked and formed as 5 or 6 sided columns. It remained stronger against weathering and today Devils Tower is a mightily impressive 867-foot tall natural formation.

We’ve seen many of the famous rock formations around the US, but Devils Tower’s intriguing geology was unique and new to us. What we loved the most was how is burst into the sky from an otherwise flat landscape in all directions. It reminded us of Mount Rainier exploding into the sky when we lived in Washington, just on a much smaller scale.

The only way you can go to the top of Devils Tower is to climb it, but you must be an experienced climber with a permit. And there’s no way you can get inside the formation either because you won’t find any passages or cracks leading in. So what you see is what you get.

Where Is Devils Tower?

Devils Tower National Monument is located in northeastern Wyoming, just 40 miles from the border with South Dakota’s Black Hills. Hulett, Moorcroft and Sundance are the closest small towns with accommodation options. Here’s the exact GPS location, click or touch to open and hit directions.

Here are driving distances to Devils Tower from notable places:

• Spearfish – 60 miles (1h 00m)
• Deadwood – 74 miles (1h 15m)
• Custer – 108 miles (1h 50m)
• Mount Rushmore – 130 miles (2h 15m)
• Yellowstone (East) – 350 miles (6h 05m)

For us, Devils Tower was the first stop we made on our drive between South Dakota and Yellowstone. We’d already spent a few days exploring the Black Hills, and after staying at a hotel in Spearfish we set off early to reach Devils Tower before the crowds arrived. We took the slightly longer but quieter and more scenic route of US-85 to WY-24 because we’d seen enough of I-90!

READ: 4-7 days South Dakota road trip itinerary

Entry Fees

Here are the entry fees for Devils Tower National Monument:

• Vehicle: $25
• Motorcycle: $20
• Walk / Bicycle: $15
• Camping: $20

Vehicle entry passes are valid for 7 consecutive days and cover all passengers. You’re paying for the vehicle, not for each passenger individually which is good for larger groups or families. Here’s more about passes and fees.

Each year we buy a new America the Beautiful National Parks Pass (listed as Interagency Annual on the entry sign) so we can visit as many parks as we want. And because Devils Tower is a National Monument (not a Memorial), we were able to use our pass to gain free entry. They’re well worth getting, but only if you plan to visit multiple parks in the next 365 days.

Note: There’s a small loop-shaped parking lot right at the visitor center but it has limited spaces. If it’s full, you can park in a large overflow lot which has one-way access from the visitor center.

What To Do Once You Arrive

1. Tower Trail

By far the most popular thing to do at Devils Tower is to walk around its base on the easy and paved Tower Trail. We thought it was a fantastic 1.3-mile hike because it circled around the whole tower, passing through trees and boulder fields. You can go either way, but we hiked it counter-clockwise. Although it is paved, the trail isn’t recommended for wheelchairs due to steep gradients in certain sections. It’s probably going to be busy, but if you only do one thing, do this.

2. Other Hikes

There are 4 other hikes you can consider if you have more time. Our favorite is the moderately difficult 1.5-mile roundtrip Joyner Ridge Trail which has amazing views of Devils Tower. But you can also hike Red Beds Trail, South Sides Trail and Valley View Trail. They all give you different perspectives, but you should definitely prioritize Tower Trail and then Joyner Ridge Trail.

3. Rock Climbing

Due to its unique cracks and hexagonal columns, Devils Tower National Monument is among the best places to crack climb in North America. If you plan to climb Devils Tower, you must register at the kiosk located in the visitor center before you ascend. It’s free to climb, but it’s illegal to do so without first registering. Most people (including us!) aren’t going to climb the tower, but you can look out for what remains of the old Rogers and Ripley Stake Ladder from 1893.

4. Joyner Ridge

Our favorite view of Devils Tower wasn’t from underneath it on Tower Trail, it was from Joyner Ridge. We highly recommend you drive up to Joyner Ridge Trailhead, even if it’s just for a few minutes to see the awesome perspective overlooking the tower. This is where you’ll want to take out your camera and start snapping photos for your Instagram account! Better yet, hike the ridge trail to get even more isolation.

READ: Best things to do near Mt Rushmore

Devils Tower Itinerary

We spent a maximum of 3 hours at Devils Tower and we were able to see and do everything, except climb it of course. You could do it quicker if you only walk Tower Trail and drive to Joyner Ridge, or you could camp for a night and spend more time slowly exploring the area. We think the tower would make for a special astrophotography shoot.

But here’s how we think you should spend a few relaxing hours at Devils Tower:

• Arrive at the parking lot and check out the visitor center.
• Take a slow hike around the base of Devils Tower.
• Look up to see if you can spot any climbers.
• Drive over to Joyner Ridge for the best views.
• Optionally hike Joyner Ridge Trail.
• See The Wind Circle Sculpture.
• Stop at Prairie Dog Town on the way out.

Where To Stay Nearby

You’ll need a place to stay nearby if you decide to visit Devils Tower National Monument closer to the end of a day, rather than in the morning like we did. It’s a pretty secluded part of Wyoming, but there are a handful of accommodation options you can consider within a few miles drive:

• Devils Tower Lodge
• Lake Guest Ranch
• Sawin’ Logs Inn
• The Hulett Motel

If you’d rather stay on the grounds and keep costs down, you can pitch a tent or park your RV at Belle Fourche River Campground. All sites are first come first served and there are no reservations. Here’s what you need to know:

• Total of 46 sites across 2 loops
• No electrical hookups
• Drinking water and restrooms
• Shaded by trees
• Max RV length is 35 feet

The Morgan Conclusion

What we liked: We thought the whole experience was great. It was quiet, the Tower Trail was easy and picturesque, the view from Joyner Ridge was spectacular and it only took us a few hours to do everything. Also, we were able to use our Interagency Pass so it didn’t cost us anything to visit.

What we didn’t like: There’s really not much to dislike here. Sure, there wasn’t a whole lot to do which made it a pretty basic stop off, but sometimes we enjoy easy to visit attractions. We will admit we thought the entrance fee of $25 was a bit steep without an Interagency Pass. And it was a bit of a detour from the Black Hills or I-90 so it might not work for shorter itineraries.

Is Devils Tower National Monument worth visiting? Yes, Devils Tower is definitely worth visiting. It’s a quick and easy to visit natural attraction, you can get in for free with an Interagency Pass, there’s a great hike around the base of the tower and it’s exceptionally photogenic. We wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s a hidden gem, but it’s not far off!

More From The Area

• South Dakota road trip itinerary
• How to visit Mount Rushmore
• What you can’t miss near Mt Rushmore
• Fun things to do in Custer State Park
• Where to stay near Mt Rushmore
• 4 days in Yellowstone itinerary
• 2 days in Grand Teton itinerary

Want more Wyoming content? Head over to our Wyoming Travel Guides to explore Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and beyond.

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We hope this guide to visiting Devils Tower National Monument helps with planning your visit to South Dakota and Wyoming!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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