Devils Tower Wyoming

[Let’s Roll]

Hi all,

We’re planning a trip to Devils Tower in Wyoming in the near future. It looks like there is a KOA close to the tower.
Has anyone been there or have feedback about the koa and surrounding area?

We’re thinking maybe 2 nights there. What is there to do other than look at the tower?
Then again, I’m perfectly ok sitting in my lawn chair enjoying a cold one waiting for a close encounter haha.

Thanks

 

[Kirk]

We have been to Devil's Tower several times over the years and did stay at the KOA but it was a long time ago. The last time were were there (4 years ago) we stayed in the NPS Belle Fourche River Campground which is very nice if you don't need hookups. The site Campground Reviews gives the KOA 4, out of 5 stars so it must still be OK.

I suggest that you download a copy of the Sundance Visitor Guide and look it over before you reserve for 2 nights. You will be only about 2 hours drive from Mt. Rushmore and Custer State Park which have a lot to see and do.

 

[chindog]

The KOA is nice, and of course you have great views of the monument. It's been a few years since we stayed there, but the parking pad was long with packed dirt and gravel, and a grassy patio. The onsite gift shop has a large assortment of souveniers, jewelry, gifts, etc. There is also a cafe that serves burgers and sandwiches. We were in the area last week, and I ate at the KOA cafe when we visited the monument. There is not much else around, except for another gift shop and cafe. However, about a half hour drive from there is the town of Sundance, famous for arresting and jailing a fellow by the name of Harry Longebaugh, also known as The Sundance Kid. He spent 18 months in the Sundance jail, which was the only time he ever was behind bars. The town hosts a "Sip and Walk" tour where you can hear local citizens portraying historical characters tell stories about the town and it's inhabitants (Including Calamity Jane), while you sip your provided beer, wine, or sasparilla. The Sundance museum is also packed with historical memorabilia and worth a look. A few miles east is the Vore Buffalo Jump, a large sink hole that the Indians used to herd buffalo into for slaughter.

There is not

 

[Laura & Charles]

We stayed a couple weeks at Mountain View in Sundance, WY …about 40 miles to Devil’s Tower. Took a weekend trip to the Blackhills from there, too. We’d stay there again, very nice place.

 

[Ray-IN]

Take your lawn chairs if you enjoy watching climbers on the rock walls. We sat for hours watching a group of 3 climbing. They were so high binoculars were necessary to see them, otherwise they were just specks on the wall. The strange thing was we could hear them talking to each other.
If you enjoy hiking there is a short easy trail around the rock mountain.
IMO 2 days is plenty of time to see everything there. The roads in/out are somewhat narrow, but I never felt uneasy driving our dually and 40' 5er.

 

[Let’s Roll]

Ok that sound great! I think 2 days there is plenty for us too. That’s amazing that you could hear the climbers talking.
Thanks everyone for the advice!

 

[chindog]

We talked with one of the Rangers when we were there last week. She said many of those climbers are her fellow rangers, and they get paid to climb to the top and check on the status of the terrain up there. She also said that the climbers can hear what people down on the ground are saying, as the sound carries very well.

 

[Utclmjmpr]

You had better like walking,, there is a lot of it..>>>Dan

 

[CharlesinGA]

There is a paved asphalt trail around the base. It has benches for you to sit on and rest if needed. At 4400 ft above sea level, low landers will find that even walking a fairly level trail tiring till they get used to it. The trail, if I recall, is about a mile and a half.

Parking is tight and hugely crowded, and the visitors center is small and cramped also. When I was there, a bus load of Europeans were there. I was staying at Spearfish City Campground and needed to get the rented car back at 3 pm that day so I drove out to Devils Tower, walked around it, stopped at the Wy Visitors Center at Exit 199 (worth the stop, they have lots of displays) and drove up the frontage road a mile to the Vore Buffalo Jump. Very interesting for me.

Take pictures as you walk around it, as some light angles will be bad, some good. You are allowed to walk off the trail up to the rock pile at the base of it.

Hopefully you will visit the Black Hills while you are in the area. I will be in Sturgis in a week for the Bigfoot Rally.

Charles

 

[Joezeppy]

We stayed at that KOA for a couple of nights back in 2007. They showed close encounters of the third kind every night on an outdoor screen with the tower on the background - kind of cool! I think there was a BBQ place across the road. Too long ago to remember much detail.