It’s been a few years since Brian and I visited Devils Tower National Monument. On previous trips we primarily spent our time at the visitor center so this visit we wanted to focus our time on hiking.

While many people opt for the short and relatively accessible Tower Trail that winds around the base of the tower, we elected to try the Red Beds Trail that makes a larger loop around the tower and offers a different perspective.

August was not the most ideal time to visit. While we had a short ride over from our new home in Box Elder, South Dakota, we still arrived mid-morning to lots of people and climbing temperatures.

We couldn’t do much about the sunshine and heat other than set out quickly and try to finish our loop before the day grew any warmer.

It didn’t take long before the crowds disappeared and we had the place to ourselves. Quite a welcome departure from the visitor center area experience!

We were able to take our time admiring the tower from different angles, appreciating how our changing elevation and perspective shifted the way it appeared. I hadn’t realized how lovely this area is, but we were able to explore some of the red rocks and enjoy the views of the surrounding valley and forest.

Even though this was the longer of the loops, our hike only ended up being 2.8 miles / 4.5 km and 364 feet / 111 meters of gain.

There were a couple areas where the trail turned rocky and required some uphill climbing, but overall I thought it was a very approachable hike and would recommend it to anyone who wants to escape the crowds. Based on our experience, I’m looking forward to explore other hiking in this area!