Worth it? YES, unequivocally; it's the essential Devils Tower experience, putting you directly under the columns for the full 360° of the Tower on an easy paved loop. The play: walk it early or late for light and quiet, and treat the prayer cloths with respect.
Who it’s NOT for: Visitors who can't manage a paved 1.3-mile loop with some grade — check accessibility for mobility needs (parts are moderate). Anyone expecting solitude midday in peak summer — it's the busiest trail; come at dawn/dusk for quiet and light. Travelers looking for a summit or a long hike — this circles the base; it does not go up the Tower (see rock-climbing) and longer options are Red Beds/Joyner Ridge.
Skip it if: You truly cannot do a paved loop with some grade — otherwise this is the one non-negotiable at Devils Tower.
Time needed: ~45 min–1.5 hr for the 1.3-mi paved loop at an easy pace with photo stops. (research: NPS hiking)
Best time: Early morning or late afternoon for soft light on the columns, cooler temps, and fewer people; the Tower faces catch different light through the day, so the loop rewards a slow circuit. Open year-round (weather permitting).
Cost: $Booking: No reservation — just the monument entrance fee (CASHLESS, card only). No timed entry. Arrive earlier in the day in peak summer for easier base parking.
walk it early or late for light and quiet, and treat the prayer cloths with respect.
Who is Tower Trail for?
Tower Trail is for black hills add on family, climber and hiker, and photographer quiet darksky.
Who is Tower Trail not for?
Tower Trail is not for Visitors who can't manage a paved 1.3-mile loop with some grade — check accessibility for mobility needs (parts are moderate). Anyone expecting solitude midday in peak summer — it's the busiest trail; come at dawn/dusk for quiet and light. Travelers looking for a summit or a long hike — this circles the base; it does not go up the Tower (see rock-climbing) and longer options are Red Beds/Joyner Ridge.
When is the best time to visit Tower Trail?
Early morning or late afternoon for soft light on the columns, cooler temps, and fewer people; the Tower faces catch different light through the day, so the loop rewards a slow circuit. Open year-round (weather permitting).
How expensive is Tower Trail?
Tower Trail is budget ($). Meravella shows prices as bands and never publishes exact figures it hasn't verified.
Basis research · last verified Sun Aug 09 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time). Prices are shown as bands; confirm live before you go. We never rank by commission.
