Devils Tower NM (non-climbing), Wyoming
2-Day Itinerary for Couples
“Stone, Sky, and Stillness: Two Days at Devils Tower”
The Tower announces itself long before you arrive—a gray monolith rising from green spring grassland, visible for thirty miles across the Belle Fourche valley. This is a trip measured in quiet: wind through sage, the hush at the base of a sacred formation, and evenings where the sky does something you won't see back home.
At a Glance
Highlights
- Sunrise walk on Tower Trail with the monolith to yourselves
- Wildflower-strewn Red Beds Trail in full spring bloom
- Standing at the rim of the 40-foot Vore Buffalo Jump sinkhole
- Golden-hour drive along the Belle Fourche Scenic Byway
- Quiet, indoor refuge at Hulett Pioneer Museum if spring showers roll in
- Wide-open, light-polluted-free prairie skies for stargazing
Day-by-Day Plan
Day 1: Arrival and First Light on the Tower
A gentle first day centered on the Tower itself—about 3 miles of easy-to-moderate walking, with plenty of pause for photos and quiet.
Arrive while the parking lot is still nearly empty and the light is low and golden across the columns. The 1.3-mile loop is flat and forgiving, giving you time to simply stand and look up without jostling for space—by 9am, tour groups will fill the same path shoulder to shoulder. This is the easiest and most intimate way to take in the Tower's scale together before the day gets busier.
From the same trailhead area, continue onto Red Beds for a longer, more textured walk—rust-colored rock bands underfoot, the Belle Fourche River murmuring below, and in spring, wildflowers pushing up through the grass beside the path. The tower keeps reappearing between ponderosa pines at different angles, like a slow reveal.
After a slow midday rest, ease into the afternoon with a drive along this 32-mile byway. Pull off wherever the mood strikes—the tower keeps appearing and vanishing behind rolling grassland, and the low afternoon sun turns the prairie gold. It's unhurried, low-effort, and ideal for couples who want scenery without more miles on their feet.
The day begins early and gently, with the Tower rising out of pale dawn light while the trailhead is still quiet. Walking the flat Tower Trail loop first eases you into the scale of the place—no rush, no crowds, just stone columns and birdsong. From there, Red Beds Trail extends the morning into something more textured, winding through wildflower-flecked grass and pine shade with the Belle Fourche River never far below.
After the morning's walking, the pace slows considerably. A relaxed midday break gives tired legs a rest before the afternoon's real activity: an unhurried drive along the Belle Fourche Scenic Byway, stopping at pullouts as the light shifts and the tower appears and disappears behind rolling hills.
As the light fades, settle into the evening at a slower rhythm—dinner options in the surrounding gateway towns are limited, so plan to eat based on where lodging is booked rather than expecting options near the trailheads themselves. Wherever the evening lands, step outside afterward: spring skies here, free of city light, often reveal a startling number of stars.
Day 2: History on the High Plains
A lighter walking day (under 2 miles total) focused on history and long views, ideal for slower-paced romance and photography.
Arrive early while the site is empty and the wind is the only sound. Standing at the rim of this 40-foot sinkhole, once used by Plains tribes for centuries of coordinated buffalo hunts, has a hushed, almost sacred weight—especially with no other visitors around. It's a slower, more contemplative stop than yesterday's trails, well suited to quiet conversation.
A short, unhurried museum visit rounds out the morning's history theme indoors, away from any wind or weather. Worn leather, old photographs, and quiet exhibit rooms tell the frontier and indigenous stories behind the landscape you've been walking through—an easy, low-energy complement to the morning's outdoor stop.
Close the trip the way it began—watching the Tower from a distance as the sky turns amber and violet. This final drive along the byway, timed for golden hour, is the splurge-worthy, romantic bookend to the whole visit: no crowds, no schedule, just two chairs-out-the-trunk kind of stillness if you choose to stop and linger at a pullout.
The second day trades trail miles for quiet history, starting at the windswept rim of Vore Buffalo Jump while the site is still empty and hushed. It's a slower, more reflective start than yesterday's hiking, letting the morning unfold at conversational pace.
Midday shifts indoors at Hulett Pioneer Museum, a gentle, air-conditioned pause that rounds out the region's human history without demanding much physical effort—ideal after two days of walking.
The trip closes with its most romantic stretch: an evening drive along the Belle Fourche Scenic Byway, timed for golden hour, with the Tower catching the day's last light. Dinner plans should be arranged around wherever the couple is staying that night, since dining options directly along the byway are sparse—but the drive itself, with pullouts for photos or just quiet sitting, makes for an unhurried, memorable finish.
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Customize This ItineraryRestaurant and dining availability near Devils Tower is limited and can change seasonally; confirm current options in Hulett or Sundance before finalizing meal plans.
Dietary compatibility tags are general guidance. If you have severe allergies, confirm directly with any restaurant before dining.
Travel tips are general guidance, not professional safety advice. Check current park and weather advisories before your trip.
All prices are approximate estimates and may vary seasonally.
