Devils Tower National Monument:Tower Trail (Blog Hike #80)

Trail: Tower Trail

Hike Location: Devils Tower National Monument

Geographic Location: northwest of Sundance, WY (44.59029, -104.72026)

Length: 1.5 miles

Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: September 2000

Overview: An easy journey, mostly on paved trail, around a national landmark.

Monument Information: http://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=717459
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: In Sundance, Wyoming, take I-90 to US 14 (exit 185).  Exit and go west on US 14.  Drive US 14 west 19 miles to SR 24 and turn right on SR 24.  Take SR 24 6 miles to SR 110 and turn left on SR 110.  SR 110 becomes the main park road when you enter the monument.  Park in the parking lot beside the Visitor Center at the end of the main park road.

The hike: At 867 feet in height, Devils Tower is the most recognized landmark in northeast Wyoming.  The grey granite tower, which resembles a large tree stump, draws thousands of visitors each year.  Unlike Mr. Spielburg suggests, most of these visitors are probably from earth.  The stable, nearly vertical rock makes Devils Tower one of the great sites in the world for rock climbing. 

With four trails of various length and difficulty, the hiking at Devils Tower is not bad either. This hike describes the Tower Trail, the shortest, easiest, most popular, and closest trail to the tower.  As you drive up to the Visitor's Center, notice the red native Wyoming soil exposed in the red beds surrounding Devils Tower.  Take a minute to contrast the red soil with the dark grey, imposing features of the tower.  Also notice the prairie dog colony along the road in the red beds.  Prairie dogs are defenseless against most predators.  They must live in areas with unobstructed views so they can see predators coming, duck into their holes, and escape.

The front porch of the visitor center provides a nice view of the tower to the east.  From this vantage point, walk east, toward the tower, and pick up the paved Tower Trail.  The trail immediately ascends moderately through a dense ponderosa pine forest to arrive at a fork in the trail.  For no particular reason, I chose to turn right and hike the trail counter-clockwise.  The trail passes through a boulder field made of rock that has fallen from the tower to arrive at the tower's base.

Devils Tower

            Throughout your hike, keep an eye on the tower, looking for rock climbers which appear as dots on the grey rock face.  In 0.25 miles arrive at an overlook of the Belle Fouche River valley to the south.  From this point, one can see the river some 300 feet below you and several miles into the dry Wyoming hills.

View into Belle Fouche River valley

            The sun shines brightly on the tower's south side as the trail approaches a small rest area with a metal scope.  The scope is focused on a wooden ladder situated several hundred feet up the tower.  This ladder is a remnant of the first successful climb of the tower on July 4, 1893.  Note that the ladder is sufficiently high that binoculars may be required to see it. 

Tower Trail through ponderosa pines

            The trail soon reaches its closest point to the tower (you can touch the vertical sides) before taking a right turn away from the tower.  The trail descends slightly through dense ponderosa pines and begins proceeding westward on the north side of the tower.  The north side appears darker, more vertical, and more imposing than the sunny south side.  At a trail fork, stay right and soon reach the spur trail to the visitor center to close the loop.  Turn right and proceed downhill to the parking lot to complete the hike.