Devils Tower National Monument is a unique NPS site located in northeastern Wyoming. It is also the first national monument – established in 1906! The tower is tall enough that you can see it as you approach from a distance, which adds to the excitement on the way in. While it’s not a huge park, it does have a network of hiking trails and a campground.
Hiking
We’ve visited twice – 2018 and 2023. Both times we were traveling between Yellowstone and Mt. Rushmore/Badlands in South Dakota. This was a perfect stop! We hopped out and did a short (~1.3 mile) hike around the tower on the Tower Trail. This trail creates a loop around Devils Tower itself. It provides some close-up views of the tower and some nice overlooks of the surrounding area. We were surprised to see climbers on the tower as we hiked on the trail below. Here is a link to the trail section on the NPS website: Hiking Trails – Devils Tower National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).
Camping
We have not camped at Devils Tower, however, there is a campground in the park (Belle Fourche River Campground). There are also camping/lodging options outside the park. If you are looking to stay inside the park, note that (as of April 2024) the campground is first-come first-served only. There are trails that connect the campground to other areas of the park, so you can hike right from your campsite. The campground does not have hookups, so if you’re in an RV, be prepared for dry camping. For more information on camping at Devils Tower, check out the link on the NPS site here: Campgrounds – Devils Tower National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).