rapid city south dakota to devils tower wyoming

#Rapid city south dakota to devils tower wyoming movie
#Rapid city south dakota to devils tower wyoming full

With one full day at Devils Tower, hike the Tower Trail, take your pick from the Joyner Trail and the Red Beds Trail, and have a picnic lunch at the picnic area.

It’s possible to hike both of these trails even if you only have a half of a day. This hike offers a different perspective of Devils Tower and, with lower crowds, is more enjoyable that the Tower Trail. With more time, I recommend hiking the Red Beds Trail. Park in the visitor center parking lot and hike the Tower Trail.

With that being said, one hour is really all that you need to see Devils Tower. It takes at least an hour to drive here, so I think it’s worth spending a few hours in the park, to see the tower from different perspectives.

How Much Time Do You Need in Devils Tower?įor the best experience, plan on spending at least half of a day at Devils Tower. Map courtesy of the national park service. You will drive past the prairie dog town and the picnic area parking lot, where you have the option to hike the Valley View Trail or South Side Trail or see the Circle of Sacred Smoke Sculpture. Once you are finished here, you can drive to the parking lot for the Joyner Trail or begin your drive out of the park. There are restrooms here if you need one. If you plan to climb Devils Tower, this is also where you will park. From this large parking lot, you can hike the Tower Trail and the Red Beds Trail. You can stop now to see the prairie dogs or save it for the end of your visit.ĭevils Tower National Monument Road ends at the visitor center. Devils Tower National Monument Road runs through the park, connecting the entrance station with the top places to visit and the visitor center.Īfter passing through a small collection of shops and restaurants, you will pay your fee at the entrance station ($25 per vehicle, valid for 7 days).īefore entering the park, you will pass a few shops and restaurants.Ĭontinue on Devils Tower National Monument Road, cross the Belle Fourche River, and you will come to the Prairie Dog Town. You can also visit Devils Tower on a road trip with Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.ĭevils Tower National Monument is small and easy to visit. From Rapid City, you can also visit Badlands and Wind Cave National Parks, Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, and numerous historic towns. Rapid City, South Dakota has a larger airport, making this is a great home base, not only for visiting Devils Tower, but for exploring this part of the country. The closest airport is located in Gillette, Wyoming.

Billings, Montana: 265 miles, 4.25 hours.

Yellowstone National Park: 350 hours, 6 hours.

Gillette, Wyoming: 66 miles, 1.25 hours.

Rapid City, South Dakota:107 miles, 1.75 hours.

Here are driving distances and times from nearby destinations: If you have plans to visit both Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone, there are several driving routes to choose from that cross Wyoming and Devils Tower can easily be added to this road trip. You can visit Devils Tower on a day trip from Rapid City or as part of a road trip across the USA.

#Rapid city south dakota to devils tower wyoming movie

It can be seen for miles on a clear day.ĭevils Tower was featured in the 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which turns the tower into an alien landing site.ĭevils Tower is located in northeastern Wyoming. Over millions of years, the sedimentary rock eroded away, gradually revealing Devils Tower.ĭevils Tower rises 867 feet from its base and stands 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River. As the magma cooled, it formed hexagonal columns of igneous rock. The most likely theory is this: 50 million years ago, molten lava was forced into underground layers of sedimentary rock. There are several theories about the formation of Devils Tower. He made Wyoming home not only to the first national monument, but also the first national park, Yellowstone National Park. These are prayer offerings and sometimes the cloths are placed in remembrance of another person.ĭevils Tower was the first national monument in the USA, established on Septemby President Theodore Roosevelt. As you walk around Devils Tower, you will see colorful cloths tied to the trees. They call the tower by names like Bear Lodge, Ghost Mountain, and Mythic-Owl Mountain.Įvery year, ceremonies are conducted at Devils Tower by local tribes. Devils Tower has long been sacred to Native Americans.Six tribes have a geographical or cultural tie to the tower, with the Lakota people having one of the strongest connections.