Devils Tower is a 867-foot stone monolith — the country's first national monument, designated by Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 — rising from the rolling grasslands of northeastern Wyoming. It is sacred to more than 20 Northern Plains tribes (the Lakota name is Mato Tipila, 'Bear Lodge'), an iconic technical climb, and a half-day reunion stop you can't miss while crossing the Black Hills. For a reunion, Devils Tower is best treated as a long detour off the I-90 Black Hills route — a 2-3 hour stop with a flat 1.3-mile loop trail at the base, an air-conditioned visitor center, and a prairie-dog colony at the entrance that kids love.
Where it is
Things to do (with the family)
Hand-curated. Every entry links to its official source so you can plan without guessing.
Tower Trail
1.3-mile mostly-flat paved loop at the base of the tower; the marquee experience and walkable for almost everyone.
Official source ↗Devils Tower Visitor Center
Air-conditioned exhibits on geology and the cultural significance to Plains tribes; ranger desk for tour times and Junior Ranger pickup.
Official source ↗Watch the climbers
Devils Tower is a world-famous climbing destination; bring binoculars and you can spot multiple climbing parties on the columns most summer days.
Official source ↗Prairie-dog town
Large prairie-dog colony at the park entrance road; rolling lawn-chairs and binoculars makes for a perfect reunion picnic stop.
Official source ↗Red Beds Trail
2.8-mile loop with mixed terrain that wraps further out from the tower; less crowded than the Tower Trail and offers different viewing angles.
Official source ↗Junior Ranger program
Free activity book at the visitor center; complete it for a Devils Tower Junior Ranger badge — kids 5-13.
Official source ↗June voluntary climbing closure
Climbing is voluntarily reduced in June out of respect for tribal ceremonies; the cultural-significance signage at the visitor center is worth a slow read.
Official source ↗Belle Fourche River picnic area
Picnic tables and a small swimming hole in the river just below the tower; great for a reunion lunch stop.
Official source ↗Devils Tower KOA cabins
Just outside the gate with cabin clusters, a pool, and the famous "Close Encounters" outdoor movie nights in summer.
Official source ↗Bear Lodge Mountains scenic drive
Slow drive through the Bear Lodge range to and from the monument; the view of the tower from the highway is the iconic photo.
Official source ↗Find more things to do for your Devils Tower National Monument reunion
The picks above are general. Inside the Reunly app, Rosi tailors local activities, meals, and printables to your actual dates, group size, ages, and budget — and saves them straight to your reunion plan.
Good for
- Half-day stop on a Black Hills road trip
- Multi-generational groups (the Tower Trail is short and flat)
- Family pictures with a once-in-a-lifetime backdrop
- Reunions that include rock climbers
- Movie buffs (Close Encounters of the Third Kind)
Practical logistics
- Closest Airports
- Rapid City, SD (RAP) ~2 hr · Gillette, WY (GCC) ~1 hr
- Group Lodging
- Devils Tower KOA cabins right at the gate; Hulett, WY (10 min north) has a small motel and B&Bs. Most reunions visit on a day trip from Rapid City or Spearfish.
- Cell Service
- Spotty inside the monument; reliable in Hulett and along I-90.
- Parking
- Visitor center lot fills 11 AM-3 PM in July; arrive before 10 AM or after 4 PM. Overflow parking at the prairie-dog viewing area.
- Park Fee
- $25 per vehicle (7-day) or use an America the Beautiful annual pass.
- Accessibility
- The Tower Trail is paved and mostly flat with mild grade changes — wheelchair-accessible for the first half-mile, more challenging in spots beyond. The visitor center is fully accessible.
- Official Site
- https://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm
When to go
Late May through September. June is dramatic with cottonwoods leafing out and the voluntary climbing closure giving a quieter atmosphere. July and August are warmest and busiest. Fall has crisp air and gold cottonwoods. Winter is closed for most services.
Best for your group size
Small group · 10–25
Groups of 10–25 fit in a Devils Tower KOA cabin cluster or hotel block in Hulett or Spearfish; coordinate a single picnic time at the Belle Fourche River area.
Medium group · 25–60
Groups of 25–60 should plan as a day trip from a Rapid City or Spearfish hotel block; pre-arrange a private picnic shelter at the Belle Fourche River.
Large group · 60+
Groups of 60+ generally do not lodge near Devils Tower — they visit as a coordinated half-day field trip from a Black Hills base.
Sample Devils Tower day trip from a Black Hills reunion
A starter agenda you can copy into Reunly's Schedule and customize for your group.
Day Trip — Devils Tower from Rapid City
- 7 AM coffee + drive from Rapid City (~2 hr)
- 9 AM stop at the prairie-dog colony at the entrance
- 10 AM Tower Trail loop walk
- 12 PM picnic at Belle Fourche River
- 1:30 PM visitor center exhibits + Junior Ranger badges
- 3 PM family group photo at the standard highway pull-off
- 4 PM drive back through Spearfish Canyon
- 7 PM dinner in Spearfish or Rapid City
Reunion organizer tips
Treat Devils Tower as a half-day, not the trip. Most reunions visit on a one-day detour from a Black Hills base, driving in mid-morning, doing the Tower Trail, picnicking at the river, and returning by sunset.
Stop at the prairie-dog colony before you enter. The colony is right along the entrance road and is the universal kid-favorite Devils Tower memory. Bring snacks and binoculars and plan 30 minutes there before heading to the tower.
Consider booking a KOA cabin night for the older kids and teens. The KOA's outdoor 'Close Encounters' movie nights with the actual tower in the background are a hit even for groups who skip the rest of the camping experience.
Walk the Tower Trail counter-clockwise. The afternoon light hits the south face of the tower better in the second half of the trail; the standard counter-clockwise loop times that nicely.
Honor the cultural significance. The monument is sacred to many Plains tribes — read the visitor center signage about the Mato Tipila name, the prayer cloths tied in trees along the trail, and why climbers voluntarily stand down in June.
How Reunly helps you plan it
Reunly is the all-in-one app made for family reunion organizers. Free to start. No credit card. Cancel anytime.
Smart guest list
Drop in any spreadsheet — Rosi (our AI) reads multi-sheet, color-coded family groups, even handwritten exports. RSVP, dietary, T-shirt, paid status all in one row.
Open in Reunly →Public RSVP link
Share one link with the whole family. They RSVP per event (Friday BBQ, Saturday dinner) without making an account. You see live counts.
Open in Reunly →Budget that adds up
Track estimated vs. actual, who paid, who still owes. Auto-creates per-guest fee rows from your registration cost.
Open in Reunly →Day-by-day schedule
Friday welcome BBQ, Saturday photo, Sunday brunch — with location, meal flag, and per-event RSVPs.
Open in Reunly →Name tags + printables
Avery 5160 sheets color-coded by family, programs, welcome packets, packing lists — auto-filled from your data.
Open in Reunly →Rosi the AI helper
Stuck on a reminder email? A budget? A timeline? Click Rosi anywhere in the app — she drafts it from your live data.
Open in Reunly →Plan your Devils Tower National Monument reunion with Reunly
Free to start. Build your guest list, share an RSVP link, track payments, and print name tags — no spreadsheets.
Frequently asked
Is Devils Tower worth the drive?
Yes, for a half-day from a Black Hills reunion. It is iconic, the Tower Trail walk takes barely an hour, and the prairie-dog colony is a near-universal kid favorite. Skip it only if your group is more than 3 hours away or already overscheduled.
Where should we stay?
Most reunions visit on a day trip and stay in Spearfish, Rapid City, or Custer. The Devils Tower KOA right at the gate has cabins for groups who want to overnight; Hulett, WY (10 min north) has a small motel and a few B&Bs.
Is the Tower Trail wheelchair-accessible?
The first half-mile is paved and mostly flat. Beyond that, grade changes get steeper and the surface gets rougher in spots. Many older relatives walk to the rest stop benches at the back of the tower and turn around.
Why do climbers stop in June?
June is a culturally important month for many Northern Plains tribes who hold ceremonies at the tower. NPS asks climbers to voluntarily stand down to respect those ceremonies, and most do. Read the visitor center exhibits for details.
Can we see climbers on the tower?
Yes — bring binoculars. From the Tower Trail you can usually spot 1-3 climbing parties on the columns on any clear summer day. The visitor center has a board with current ranger-recorded climbs.
What is the entrance fee?
$25 per vehicle for 7 days. The America the Beautiful annual pass covers admission. Parking does not require a separate fee.
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Helpful planning guides
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12-month, 6-month, and day-of checklists organizers actually use.
Read the guide →Family reunion budget guide
How to estimate, track, and split costs without spreadsheets.
Read the guide →Family reunion on a $2,500 budget
A real budget breakdown for a destination reunion under $2.5K.
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