This is page 2 of this article. To start at the beginning, click here.
Do you love to have a plan?
Get the inside scoop for your upcoming vacation —> this itinerary is the most detailed, epic, and easy-to-follow guide to the park!
1. Tower Trail
It’s one thing to see Devils Tower from afar, but standing at the base is a phenomenal experience! The Tower Trail is the best way to get a close-up look at the beautiful details of this rocky monolith.
What You Need to Know
The Tower Trail is a paved 1.3-mile loop with an elevation gain of about 150 feet. This trail circles the base of Devils Tower, making this the closest you can get without rock climbing.
Speaking of rock climbing, you may be lucky to see a few climbers scaling the walls of Devils Tower as you hike this trail. Look up and see if you can spot any people making their way to the top!
As you hike along the Tower Trail, you may notice some colorful pieces of fabric tied to the trees. These are Native American prayer cloths or prayer bundles. Please leave them undisturbed — they represent the spiritual connection that many tribes have with Devils Tower.
As you slow down and appreciate the scenery, you’ll be able to feel the peace and sacredness of the area. Devils Tower is a special place for many people. Please be respectful and take care of this place while you visit.
Pets are not allowed on any trails at Devils Tower.
Getting Here
From the monument’s entrance, drive west along the park road for 2.8 miles. The main park road dead-ends at the visitor center. Park here and walk toward the Tower to find the beginning of the trail.
2. Circle of Sacred Smoke
Devils Tower is special to a lot of people, but it is an extremely sacred place for many Native American tribes. Learn more about what this area means to them at the Circle of Sacred Smoke.
What You Need to Know
Over twenty Native American tribes consider Devils Tower to be sacred. In fact, they don’t believe it should be called Devils Tower at all. The Lakota Tribe calls it Bear Lodge, and stories have been passed down for generations about the Devils Tower area being the Lakota’s “place of creation.”
Devils Tower has historically been a place of ceremony, vision quests, and winter camp for these tribes. As you explore the monument, soak in the special feeling that lingers here in Wyoming’s Black Hills.
The Circle of Sacred Smoke sculpture tells the story of the White Buffalo Calf Woman giving the first sacred pipe to the Lakota people. The sculpture represents a puff of smoke from the pipe, and you can read more about the stories and significance of Devils Tower while you’re here.
Getting Here
From the monument’s entrance, drive west along the park road for 0.9 miles. Turn left, following signs for the campground and picnic area. Drive along this road for 0.3 miles until you see the picnic area on your right. Look for the Circle of Sacred Smoke on your left.
If you get to the campground, you’ve gone too far.
3. Praire Dog Town
As you drive toward Devils Tower, keep your eyes peeled for dozens of mounds and burrows. These burrows house some of the monument’s smallest and cutest mammals — prairie dogs!
What You Need to Know
You’ll find the Prairie Dog Town right along the road — no hiking is necessary. If you want a better view, you can hike along the Southside Trail (accessed from the park road just after passing the three pullouts), or the Valley View Trail (leaves from the Picnic Area and has views of the river).
Spend a few moments watching these animals pop out of their burrows and interact with the other prairie dogs. Listen carefully to hear them “bark” at you or each other. It’s a lot of fun to sit and watch them for a while!
If you want to get a good photo, remember to use your zoom lens to give these little guys some distance. Please don’t feed the prairie dogs. Feeding them teaches them to be dependent on human food and can cause them to die of starvation during the harsh Wyoming winters.
Pets are permitted in the parking area for this point of interest, but to protect the prairie dogs, your pet must be leashed and cannot go off the pavement or on the trails.
Getting Here
From the monument’s entrance, drive west along the park road for 0.5 miles. When you see three large pullouts on the left side of the road, pull into one and look for the prairie dogs out in the grass.
4. Joyner Ridge Trail
If sweeping views of the prairie grass, pines, and that majestic tower interest you, Joyner Ridge is the perfect place to go! Sit on a bench, get away from the crowds, and enjoy the solitude along this picturesque hiking trail.
What You Need to Know
The Joyner Ridge Trail is just a few minutes away from the crowded Tower Trail and visitor center, but this is one of the best places to find beauty and solitude at Devils Tower!
You’ll have to drive a short dirt road to get to the trailhead (usually passable by most vehicles). The Joyner Ridge Trail is a 1.5-mile loop with 230 feet of elevation gain.
I recommend hiking the loop clockwise for the most gradual elevation gain. You’ll be treated to the most spectacular view of Devils Tower at the top of the first hill. Up here, you’ll find a bench you can relax on as you enjoy the vista in front of you.
From there, you’ll drop down into the golden prairie grass, and some sections of this trail can be a little overgrown. As you enjoy the views of Devils Tower, be on the lookout for wildflowers!
If you’re looking for another quieter trail with beautiful views of the Tower, check out the Red Beds Trail. You can even connect Joyner Ridge with Red Beds for the ultimate day hike.
Pets are not permitted on any trails at Devils Tower.
Getting Here
From the monument’s entrance, drive west along the park road (toward the visitor center) for 2.2 miles. Look for a dirt road on your left about a half mile before reaching the visitor center. This is the road to the Joyner Ridge Trailhead.
Turn left onto the dirt road and drive for 0.3 miles to the small parking area. You’ll start your hike from here!
The road to Joyner Ridge is narrow, with limited space to turn around, so it’s not a good idea to drive a trailer or RV here. You can park your RV at the picnic area and drive a separate vehicle up to this parking lot.
5. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
You may have decided to visit Devils Tower because it was the first national monument created, or because it’s not too far from Mount Rushmore, or because it’s a part of your history or culture. Or, you may be like a lot of other people who desperately want to see the Tower in person after watching the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
What You Need to Know
Devils Tower makes a rather large cameo in Steven Spielberg’s 1977 sci-fi film about the aliens from another world that make a little visit to planet earth! Close Encounters of the Third Kind made this monument famous, and for many people, it’s the main reason for driving out to the middle of Wyoming’s Black Hills to see it.
The Devils Tower KOA hosts a nightly outdoor showing of the movie, and this is the perfect place to watch it. They actually filmed parts of the movie where the KOA is now, so you can watch the movie right where it was filmed! Stop into the office for details.
If you aren’t able to be there for the nightly showing, watch the movie before you go. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video.
Getting Here
The Devils Tower KOA is located just outside of the monument’s entrance. You can’t miss it as you’re coming into Devils Tower!
Have a fantastic trip to Devils Tower National Monument. Mount Rushmore is nearby — click NEXT to see the things you can’t miss!
This post may contain affiliate links. Dirt In My Shoes gets paid a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you purchase from these links. Thanks for your support!
Leave a Reply