Hotels Near Devils Tower
Which town you actually sleep in, with the Park Service's real distances
Updated: September 29, 2026 | $25 per vehicle | No cash accepted | Open 24 hours
Quick Answer: Where do you stay near Devils Tower?
There is no town at Devils Tower and no hotel in the monument. Inside the park there is one campground, Belle Fourche River, 45 sites, first-come first-served, no hookups, no showers. Immediately outside the boundary are the Devils Tower KOA, the Devils Tower Lodge bed and breakfast and Devils Tower View. For a real hotel, the Park Service names three gateway towns: Hulett, about 9 to 10 miles north and the closest, Sundance, 30 miles southeast on I-90, and Moorcroft, 36 miles southwest on I-90. Entry is $25 a vehicle, $20 a motorcycle, $15 on foot, and the park takes no cash. Parking at the visitor center fills between 10am and 3pm, so come early or late. From the Black Hills it is about 110 miles and 1 hour 50 minutes from Rapid City, which makes it a long but real day trip if you would rather sleep in Deadwood hotels or Rapid City hotels.
“There are no restaurants or food options within Devils Tower National Monument.”
Table of Contents
There Is No Town at Devils Tower
Searching for "hotels near Devils Tower" quietly assumes there is a Devils Tower to be near, in the way there is a Keystone next to Mount Rushmore. There is not. The address is real enough, WY-110, Devils Tower, Wyoming 82714, but that is a monument and a post office box, not a town. The nearest place with hotels is Hulett, and the Park Service will not even list its hotels by name.
So the real question is "which town, and is it worth sleeping out here at all". That mostly depends on the drive, about an hour and fifty minutes from Rapid City, which puts the whole thing within reach of the Black Hills bases you were probably already considering.
Do not trust your GPS out here
This is the Park Service's own warning: "Some GPS devices may not be able to accurately direct you to the Tower. You may choose to use a road map and follow the signage from major highways." The monument is reached by a single road, Wyoming Highway 24, which meets US-14 six miles south of the tower at a junction signed Devils Tower Junction. From I-90 you leave at Moorcroft, exit 153 if you are coming from the west, or Sundance, exit 185 from the east. You can also come in from the north through Hulett.
Every Lodging Option, Closest First
These are the distances the National Park Service itself publishes. The Park Service gives mileages, not drive times, so we are not going to convert them into minutes for you. On roads like these that conversion is a guess.
Belle Fourche River Campground
Inside the parkThe only place to sleep inside the monument, and the only one the Park Service runs. 45 sites across two loops, 43 of them pull-through with room for RVs up to 35 feet, 4 ADA sites and 3 tent-only group sites. It is first-come, first-served with no reservations at all, so it is a gamble rather than a plan. There are no hookups of any kind, no dump station and no showers, though there are flush toilets in season and drinking water at the spigots. Big cottonwoods give real shade. Open May 15 to mid-October, 14-day limit. For 2026 the Park Service says it closes October 15, with October 14 the last night to camp.
Devils Tower KOA
Just outside the park entranceThe Park Service lists it as immediately outside the entrance, with full amenities, and it doubles as one of the few food options anywhere near the tower. This is the closest thing to "staying at Devils Tower" that involves a reservation. Seasonal: KOA lists it as open May 15 to October 15, depending on snow.
Devils Tower Lodge
Just outside the park boundaryA bed and breakfast right on the boundary, associated with Devils Tower Climbing. It is small and it is the closest actual lodging to the tower itself. We have not been able to verify its room count, rates or winter schedule, so ask them directly, especially outside the summer season.
Devils Tower View
One mile from the parkOpen year round, which matters here because so much of what surrounds the tower is seasonal. It also has a small restaurant, and in this area that is not a small thing.
Hulett, Wyoming
About 9 to 10 miles northThe nearest town, and an NPS-named gateway community. The Park Service says it "offers several hotel and camping options" but does not name them, and Hulett is genuinely small, so do not expect a chain. If you want to be close to the tower and sleep in a bed, this is the answer. Note the Park Service is inconsistent on the distance: its lodging page says 10 miles, its directions page implies 9.
Sundance, Wyoming
30 miles southeastAn NPS gateway community with, in its words, "several hotel and RV areas". The advantage over Hulett is that Sundance sits on I-90 at exit 185, so it is easy to reach and easy to leave, and it is the natural stop if you are driving in from the Black Hills.
Moorcroft, Wyoming
36 miles southwestThe third NPS gateway community, also with "several hotel and RV areas", on I-90 at exit 153. This is the one to look at if you are coming from the west or heading on toward Gillette.
Why we are not ranking Hulett's hotels
Because we cannot verify them. The Park Service names Hulett, Sundance and Moorcroft as gateway communities and then links to the town site and the chamber directories rather than to properties, which tells you something about the scale of what is out there. We would rather say "several options, we have not verified which" than invent a ranked list with star ratings and review counts we made up. Check the Hulett town site or the Sundance chamber directory directly, and book early in rally season.
Campfires are banned right now
Every site in the Belle Fourche River Campground has a fire pit with a grill, and as of late September 2026 you still cannot use it. The monument has been under Stage 2 Burn Restrictions since March 2026: all campfires are prohibited. Stoves, grills and lanterns running on pressurized liquid or gas with a shut-off valve are allowed if you keep them at least three feet from grass, pine needles and other flammable material. Smoking is allowed only inside an enclosed vehicle. A lightning-caused wildfire, the Left Creek Fire, forced a full closure and evacuation of the monument on August 2, 2026, so this is not a theoretical risk. Check check the park's alerts page before you go, because this is exactly the sort of restriction that changes.
Day Trip from the Black Hills, or Sleep Out There?
The drive from the two most common Black Hills bases:
- Rapid City: about 110 miles, roughly 1 hour 50 minutes, northwest on I-90 through Sturgis and Spearfish.
- Mount Rushmore: about 130 miles, roughly 2 hours 15 minutes.
Figures from our Black Hills driving distances guide, which is where the rest of these live.
Day-trip it if...
You are already based in the northern Hills and you want one long day rather than a hotel change. Roughly three and a half hours of driving buys you the tower, and the drive out through Spearfish is not a chore. The Tower Trail is only 1.8 miles, so you can see the thing properly in a couple of hours and be back for dinner in Deadwood hotels. Spearfish hotels are closer still, right on I-90 on the way back.
Sleep out there if...
You want the tower at sunrise or last light, when it turns and the day crowds are gone, or you are climbing, or you are carrying on west toward Yellowstone rather than doubling back. The park is open 24 hours a day, every day, and staying in Hulett is the only way to use that. It also sidesteps the parking window entirely.
Our honest read
For most people on a Black Hills trip, day-trip it. The tower is a two-hour visit, not a two-day one, and the lodging near it is thin enough that you are trading a good hotel for a mediocre one to save ninety minutes of driving. Stay out there only if you have a specific reason: climbing, photography at either end of the day, or you are heading west anyway. If that is you, Hulett for proximity, Sundance for the interstate.
Fees, Hours and the Parking Window
2026 entrance fees
- • Private vehicle: $25. Covers you and every passenger.
- • Motorcycle: $20. Valid seven days, admits up to 2 motorcycles and 4 passengers.
- • On foot or bicycle: $15 per person, age 16 and up. Under 16 free.
- • Monument annual pass: $45.
- • America the Beautiful is valid here. In the Park Service's words, if you have one, "that's the only entrance pass you need". At Jewel Cave, by contrast, it does not cover the tours.
- 🚨 The park does not accept cash. Credit or debit only, at the entrance station. This catches people out.
Hours and parking
- • Open 24 hours, every day. Roads and trails are open around the clock, year round.
- • The visitor center bookstore runs on a limited basis.
- • 🚨 Visitor center parking fills between 10am and 3pm daily in summer. That is the Park Service's own figure, not folklore.
- • The paved upper lot fills before the lower gravel lot. Climbers are asked to use the lower lot.
- • 19 feet or longer: use the long-vehicle lot by the picnic area, and drop trailers there.
- • At the fee booth the Park Service suggests arriving before 10am or after 4pm to avoid congestion.
“Parking at the Visitor Center can fill up between 10 am and 3 pm daily; we highly recommend you plan to visit either early or late in the day.”
The Tower Trail, and the prayer cloths
The Tower Trail is 1.8 miles out and back, which includes the 1.3-mile loop around the base, and it is paved. It is the hike essentially everyone does, and it gets crowded. The Park Service suggests walking it before 10am or after 3pm, for the same parking reason. An accessible concrete path runs as far as the loop intersection, but past that intersection the trail is not ADA-accessible and the Park Service strongly advises against taking wheelchairs or power scooters beyond it. Pets are not allowed on any park trail.
As you walk it you will see cloths and small bundles tied to the trees. These are Native American prayer cloths, and they represent the spiritual connection many tribes have with the tower. Do not touch, disturb or remove them. Some people also consider it culturally insensitive to photograph them, so the respectful default is to leave them out of your shots.
If you want the quieter side of the monument, the other four trails connect to each other and to the Tower Trail: Red Beds is a 2.8-mile loop, Joyner Ridge a 1.5-mile loop, and South Side and Valley View are both 0.6 miles from the picnic area through the prairie dog town, which is the second thing everyone photographs here.
The June Voluntary Climbing Closure
If you are coming to climb, understand this before you book anything.
Northern Plains tribes have regarded the tower as a sacred site for far longer than anyone has climbed it, and some regard climbing on it as a desecration. Out of that tension came the June Voluntary Climbing Closure, a key element of the 1995 Climbing Management Plan and continued by its 2006 update. It was a compromise reached by a working group that included two climber organizations and two Native American organizations alongside agency and local government representatives. Throughout June, the park asks visitors to voluntarily refrain from climbing the tower or scrambling inside the Tower Trail loop. It applies to all visitors above the loop trail, not just roped climbers.
“Although voluntary, this closure has been very successful - resulting in a significant reduction in the number of climbers during June.”
"But I did not see any ceremonies"
The Park Service answers this one directly, because it comes up constantly. The closure is not tied to the visible presence of ceremonies. In its words, these ceremonies "occur many days throughout the year, and in various areas throughout the Monument", and they are "spiritual, private, and may not be visible to visitors". The closure is voluntary by design, so that climbers get to choose to show respect rather than be compelled to, and the Access Fund fully supports it. If you want to climb in June, the park points you to Spearfish Canyon, the Needles of Custer State Park, Tensleep Canyon and Vedauwoo instead.
Climbing logistics and seasonal closures
Registration at the kiosk by the Tower Trail head is free but legally mandatory, and failing to do it is subject to citation and fine. The database it feeds has been running since 1937. The climbing itself is mostly traditional crack work, largely unbolted, graded 5.7 to 5.13, with the longest crack running nearly 400 feet.
Falcon closures run each spring and summer. In 2026 the closure took effect May 1 and covered the northeast face routes, the northeast edges of the summit and the north face rappel routes, including everything between Adrenaline Surfer and Dr. Zen, to protect nesting prairie and peregrine falcons. Routes reopen once no nesting activity is seen or the birds fledge, and current closures are posted at the registration kiosk. Check the current closures page before you drive out. And note the whole monument is a no-fly zone for drones, prohibited under 36 CFR 1.5.
Sturgis Rally Week: the One Week to Plan Around
Devils Tower is a major rally ride, to the point that the Park Service maintains a dedicated Sturgis Rally page for the monument, linked from its own navigation. The 2026 rally ran August 7-16. The 87th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally runs August 6-15, 2027, and the "Ride to Devils Tower" typically falls on the Wednesday of rally week, which in 2027 would be August 11.
“Visitors can expect extremely long lines and waits to enter the park.”
If you are visiting during rally week
- • Go before 8am or after 5pm. The Park Service says that offers a much less congested experience. Any other hour on Ride day is a queue.
- • Long vehicles are restricted. RVs, buses and cars with trailers must park near the picnic area and are not permitted past the first mile of the park road.
- • Book lodging months out. Hulett and Sundance are small and they are on the ride route.
- • A motorcycle pass is $20 and valid for seven days, so if you are riding out more than once during the rally, the maths is easy.
Riding the rally and need a bed? The Black Hills side is where the rooms actually are.
Sturgis Rally Hotels 2026Frequently Asked Questions
Are there hotels at Devils Tower?
No. There is no town at the tower and no hotel in the monument. Inside there is only the Belle Fourche River Campground. Just outside are the Devils Tower KOA, the Devils Tower Lodge bed and breakfast, and Devils Tower View a mile away. For a hotel, look to Hulett (about 9 to 10 miles), Sundance (30 miles) or Moorcroft (36 miles).
What is the closest town to Devils Tower?
Hulett, Wyoming, about 9 to 10 miles north. The Park Service is oddly inconsistent about which, saying 10 miles on one page and implying 9 on another, so we quote the range. It has "several hotel and camping options" in NPS's words, but it is small.
How much is entry to Devils Tower?
$25 per private vehicle, $20 per motorcycle (valid seven days, up to 2 bikes and 4 people), or $15 per person on foot or bike for anyone 16 and over. An annual pass is $45 and America the Beautiful is valid. No cash is accepted anywhere in the park.
Is Devils Tower a good day trip from the Black Hills?
Yes, if a long one. It is about 110 miles and 1 hour 50 minutes from Rapid City on I-90 through Sturgis and Spearfish, and around 130 miles from Mount Rushmore. That is roughly three and a half hours of driving for a visit that only needs two, which is fine for most people and annoying for some.
Can you reserve the campground?
No. Belle Fourche River Campground is first-come, first-served with no reservations. 45 sites, 43 of them pull-through for RVs up to 35 feet, no hookups, no dump station, no showers. Open May 15 to mid-October, 14-day limit; in 2026 the last night is October 14. Campfires are banned park-wide under Stage 2 restrictions as of late September 2026.
How long is the Tower Trail?
1.8 miles out and back, including the 1.3-mile paved loop around the base. Walk it before 10am or after 3pm if you can. It is accessible as far as the loop intersection but not beyond.
Should you climb Devils Tower in June?
The park asks you not to, and the request is worth honouring. The June voluntary closure came out of a working group of climber and Native American organizations, it is backed by the Access Fund, and it has meaningfully reduced June climbing. It covers everyone above the loop trail, not just roped climbers. There is excellent rock at Spearfish Canyon and the Needles the rest of the summer.
Is there anywhere to eat at Devils Tower?
Not in the monument, in the Park Service's flat words: "There are no restaurants or food options within Devils Tower National Monument." There is a picnic area by the campground. Just outside are the KOA, the Devils Tower Trading Post and Devils Tower Gulch, all seasonal, plus Devils Tower View a mile south which is open year round.
Planning a Devils Tower Visit
Bring a card because there is no cash accepted, arrive before 10am or after 3pm because that is when the lot fills, walk the 1.8-mile Tower Trail, and leave the prayer cloths alone. Then decide honestly whether you want a bed in Hulett or a better one back in the Black Hills, an hour and fifty minutes east.