Devils Tower – An Outstanding Kid-Friendly Hike!
Rising 1,267 feet above the Wyoming plains, geologist believe that this natural phenomenon occurred when molten rock pushed up into the sedimentary rock ~50 million years ago and then subsequently cooled. About 5 to 10 million years ago, erosion of the land surrounding this volcanic plug began to reveal this incredible tower.
Where is it Located?
Devils Tower is located approximately 2 hours & 30 minutes west of Mount Rushmore which makes it a perfect day trip when visiting western South Dakota and the Mount Rushmore Area.
Steven Spielberg fans will also likely recognize the unique Devils Tower from the 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which helped turn this tower into a popular tourist destination.
Today, Devils Tower is a perfect kid-friendly hike and family destination. The tower and it’s size is sure to leave you in awe and yet the trail that winds around it is easy enough for anyone to walk.
Tower Trail
Distance: 1.3 mile
Difficulty: Easy, paved walking path
Tower Trail begins across the parking area from the visitor center.
There is a short, steep section that leads you to a junction that you can take either way around the base of the tower.
Tower Trail at Devils Tower is the perfect kid-friendly hike for families with children of any age!
This easy 1.3 mile trail is nicely paved and mostly shaded. There is a slightly steeper section at the beginning of the trail but after that, the rest of the trail only has slight elevation changes. You can also find benches along the way to rest your legs or take quick snack breaks with kids if needed. And the scenery is spectacular everywhere you look!
The view surrounding Devils Tower.
Tower Trail takes approximately 45 minutes to walk but I would allow for at least an hour so that you have plenty of time to stop and enjoy the views along the way.
Walking on Tower Trail will give you a true appreciation for just how big and impressive Devils Tower really is!
This trail is also great for kids because they will love all of the huge rocks that line this trail! There’s a lot of fun pictures that you can do with these incredible rocks!
Fun Fact:
A clerical error was made that forgot the apostrophe when naming Devils Tower. This error was never corrected and to this day the tower is still called Devils Tower (instead of Devil’s Tower).
Devils Tower was named America’s First National Monument in 1906.
One of the many spectacular views as you walk the trail around Devils Tower.
It’s really hard to comprehend just how large Devils Tower is until you get right up next to it! Wow!!!
Standing here, looking up at this tower, left us completely speechless.
Side note: We did not climb the rocks in the picture above with our three children. This is off the main trail and is at your own risk. To us it looked too dangerous to tackle with a 5, 7 and 9 year old, but as you can see there were lots of people climbing the rocks in this area.
Helpful Tips:
Do to the popularity of Tower Trail and the limited parking capacity we recommend that you hike this trail on a weekday or before 10am or after 3pm.
Also be sure to check Devils Tower National Monument’s website for the latest information, possible closures or any effects from Covid-19.
Hiking around Devils Tower on Tower Trail is definitely worthy for any Bucket List!
This is a phenomenon that I don’t think exists anywhere else in the world and you won’t want to miss it!
This Tower is Incredible!!!
Kids Might Enjoy These Books Before Your Trip:
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