General Information
Devils Tower National Monument is located in Wyoming, 27 miles northwest from Sundance, WY. It is accessible from the east or west by taking US HWY 14 to WY 24 or from the north by taking WY 112 to WY 24. Devils Tower is an incredible land feature that rises nearly 1,300 feet and is surrounded by prairies.
Size: Devils Tower National Monument takes up an area of approximately 2 square miles.
Climate: Weather in this region can vary significantly dependent on the season. Northeast Wyoming is known to have subzero temperatures in the winter and blistering hot summers when 100+ degree weather is not uncommon. Hail, snow, and windstorms are also common.
In the summer, the average high for Devils Tower is 85 degrees F and lows average 50 degrees F.
In winter, the average high is 38 degrees F and the average low is 7 degrees F.
Fall and springtime can bring a mix of both summer and winter weather, so it is best to prepare for anything if you plan to visit during these months.
Cost: According to nps.gov, on August 13, 2020 the fees to visit Devils Tower National Monument are as follows:
History
Devils Tower, also known as Bear Lodge Butte, is believed to have been formed 40. 5 million years ago. While the reasoning behind its formation remains a mystery that baffles scientists, some believe it is the neck of an extinct volcano that has been eroded by natural forces over millennia. The sides of Devils Tower are lined with parallel cracks that cover the entire surface of the structure.
The size and location of this structure has left people in awe for centuries. It was originally considered a holy place by indigenous peoples who lived in the region and is the setting of legends (specifically how the bear came to have a stumpy tail and rounded ears).
In 1906, Devils Tower was given the title of a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt. It is the United States first national monument.
In the time since it has become a national monument, Devils Tower has grown in popularity each year. The parallel cracks that run along the surface of the monument has made it one of the premiere traditional crack climbing areas in North America.
The park receives about 500,000 visitors each year, with 80% of those visiting between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Our Experience
Devils Tower was a place that was recommended to us to visit. Prior to the recommendation, we had never even heard of it before. The views of the tower were incredible, and we are so happy to have seen it, but our experience of the park left us wanting.
Traffic into the park was congested and we waited in line for about 30 minutes before we could even enter into the park. Once inside the park, it takes a few minutes to drive up the road to the main parking lot that takes you to the base of Devils Tower.
On the way, you can stop and see a small prairie dog village. The prairie dogs in this area were some of the most active we have seen, and we thoroughly enjoyed watching them as we talked to a park ranger.
Walking around the tower was nice, but the structure itself is massive and as a result, it is difficult to get really good views of it. We were able to find an area where we could get great views of the tower and the surrounding landscape.
Pros
It is a small park; it is easy to visit in a short amount of time.
There is a lot of shade to keep cool in during the hot Wyoming summers.
There are a few hiking trails that are not too difficult to complete.
There are a lot of bathrooms and water stations throughout the park.
The staff was the friendliest of any park we have visited.
There is a lot of parking. We did not have any issue finding a place to park, even in the busy season.
The tower itself is absolutely incredible to see.
Cons
There is not a lot to do within the park.
The park was extremely crowded.
We waited for approximately 30 minutes to go through the entrance of the park.
The cost of entry seemed high when compared to other national parks.
The park was not extremely accessible.
There was a lot of construction during our visit.
We found the best views of Devils Tower to be outside of the park itself.
General Score
We rated Devils Tower National Monument 3 out of 5 stars.
Seeing the structure of Devils Tower was incredible. It is an unexpected feature to appear in the prairies of Wyoming, and for that reason alone, it is worth the visit.
That being said, the park is small and things to do there are limited. We spent less than an hour in the park and were ready to go. Luckily for us, we had the National Park Pass, so we did not have to pay an entrance fee. If we did have to pay the fee, we would have probably been more disappointed than we were.
Additionally, we found the best views of the tower to be outside of the park. You can see the tower from over 20 miles away on a clear day.
One of the few perks of going to the park itself would be to climb if you are a climber.
Unfortunately for us, one of us is extraordinarily uncoordinated and the other is scared of heights – so we will leave the climbing to the professionals.
If we could do it again, we would skip the park itself and take the views in from a distance. We also went in the height of the busy season – and though it was not unbearably crowded, in the age of Coronavirus, we were both a little uncomfortable.
Pet Rating
We rated Devils Tower National Monument 3 out of 5 bones on pet friendliness.
Devils Tower’s rules concerning dogs are pretty typical of a national park. Dogs are allowed on all main roads, in picnic area, and parking lots. Dogs are not allowed on any hiking trails or in any buildings. This is unfortunate because one of the biggest draws of Devils Tower is being able to hike the trail that takes you directly next to the tower.
We rated Devils Tower 3 bones, however, because they had really nice parking lots that were surrounded by trees, grass, and plenty of space to exercise the dogs. Also, the picnic area was very open as well. There were several places to fill water bottles, which was nice as it allowed us to keep the dogs hydrated as we walked around.
