Devils Tower — Attraction in Hulett

I made a detour on my way from working in the oilfield in North Dakota back to Texas just to make sure I witnessed Devils Tower! I was not disappointed! From a distance as you drive there you get a first look at it and just then start to realize how massive it is. Before you pull into the park if you’re lucky enough there will be some longhorn and buffalo on front of it as my photos show. It’s just a classic and iconic photo. ⭐️ I would recommend going about 0700 or at the latest 0800 if it’s close to tourist season. I got there about 0830 and there wasn’t much parking left. As I left after walking the shorter of the trails and admiring the beauty there were two tour busses pulling in. Certainly get there early and enjoy it before it gets too busy. The shorter trail is very easy to walk, paved all the way around. I saw a guy climbing the side of it,...

Mismanaged attraction. If you think you will be able to drive right up and hike around the rock during peak season, please lower your expectations. Visitors are expected to pass the entrance and a sign that says “pay when you leave” only to discover the real line to get to the visitor center. It would have taken over an hour. That’s my estimate considering we waited in it for 20+ minutes hardly moving before my wife got out of the car and walked ahead to judge the length of the line. We decided to leave without experiencing it because we had other sights to see on our trip. It was even more disappointing that I had to argue with the parks employee that I shouldn’t have to pay the exit fee if I didn’t actually receive the...

Visiting Devil's Tower was an amazing experience. I had missed the chance to visit a few years ago and regretted it, so while staying in Hill City, SD, I decided to take my family on a short 2-hour drive to see this magnificent monument. The easy trails around the massive structure offer breathtaking views. A tip for future visitors: Arrive before 10:00 a.m. or you’ll struggle to find parking. We got there at 9:00 a.m. on a weekday, and the parking lot was already nearly full. If you're planning to visit multiple national parks, consider getting the annual pass. We were only visiting Devil's Tower and the Badlands, so it was cheaper for us to buy day passes...