Devils Tower National Monument

Devils Tower stands over the Belle Fourche River like a petrified tree stump: the rock rises 867 ft (264 m) from its base and 1,267 ft (386 m) above the river. It is made of phonolite porphyry, a granite-like rock without quartz, and formed about 50 million years ago. In 1906 Theodore Roosevelt declared it the nation's first national monument. Many Native peoples hold it sacred; the Lakota call it Mato Tipila, which early maps translated as “Bear Lodge.” The modern name most likely rests on a misunderstanding.

The paved Tower Trail runs a little over 1.3 miles (2 km) around the base, past the boulder field. It is the most popular path, so go before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m. The Valley View and South Side Trails (about 0.6 mile / 1 km each) cross a prairie dog town. Don't touch the prayer cloths tied to the trees. Climbers voluntarily stay off the rock in June; the first ascent, in 1893, was made by two ranchers using a wooden ladder.

The campground in the monument is first come, first served, and there is no lodging in the park (as of October 2026).