How Long Does It Take to Climb Devils Tower? | Summit Timing

Devils Tower usually takes 4-6 hours up the Durrance Route, plus 1-2 hours to rappel down.

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

A full Devils Tower climbing day is not just the upward climb. Most parties should plan for a 6-8 hour summit outing once the approach, route finding, belays, summit time, and descent are included.

How Long Does It Take to Climb Devils Tower? For the common Durrance Route, the National Park Service gives 4-6 hours for two climbers to ascend and about 1-2 hours to rappel. Faster teams may move in less time, but first-time Tower parties should not build the day around best-case timing.

Devils Tower is a technical rock climb, not a hike to the top. The timing changes with route choice, crack-climbing skill, group size, traffic on the route, weather, and how smoothly the rappel goes.

If you plan to climb with a permitted guide or compare local access options, start with the official visit details, then check available ticket and activity options here:

Devils Tower Climb Time: What The Day Really Takes

Devils Tower climb time usually breaks into a long ascent, a shorter but serious rappel descent, and extra time for staging gear at the base. A realistic day plan leaves room for slow parties above you and for wind or heat on exposed rock.

The Durrance Route is the timing benchmark because it is one of the most popular summit routes. A strong two-person team with good crack systems may move faster, while a guided beginner party or a three-person rope team can take longer.

• Approach and gear sorting: about 30-60 minutes, depending on parking, registration, and the base approach.
• Climb to the summit: about 4-6 hours for two climbers on the Durrance Route.
• Summit break: often 15-30 minutes if weather and daylight allow.
• Rappel descent: about 1-2 hours, with more time if ropes snag or other climbers are on rappel stations.

Devils Tower demands a conservative clock. The upward climb feels like the main event, but the descent is where many accidents have happened, so rushing the rappel is the wrong place to save time.

How Many Hours Should You Budget For The Summit?

Most visiting climbers should budget a full day for a Devils Tower summit attempt. A 6-8 hour plan is reasonable for the climb and descent, but an early start is still the safest schedule.

Parking pressure, summer heat, afternoon storms, and route traffic all push climbers toward an early start. The monument roads and trails are generally open 24 hours, but the visitor center and services are not the same as daylight on the wall.

Devils Tower is 867 feet from base to summit, and the summit is roughly 1.5 acres. Those numbers can make the climb sound short, but crack climbing, belay transitions, and rappels create the real time cost.

What Makes Devils Tower Take Longer Than Expected

Devils Tower takes longer when climbers underestimate the sustained crack climbing or get slowed by other rope teams. Route length matters, but efficiency at every belay often decides the day.

The Tower’s cracks are the appeal and the problem. Climbers who are comfortable placing gear, jamming, and building clean transitions can move steadily; climbers learning those systems on the wall should expect a slower pace.

• Route traffic: popular lines can stack parties, especially during good-weather windows.
• Team size: two climbers usually move faster than three.
• Rappel setup: rope pulls, knots, anchors, and station crowding add time.
• Weather: wind, lightning risk, wet rock, and extreme heat can turn a normal day into a retreat.
• Gear choices: the wrong rack or only one rope can limit descent options.

The National Park Service says technical rock climbing equipment is required at Devils Tower and that many rappels require two ropes, so the safer plan is to treat descent planning as part of the climb, not an afterthought. The park’s official Devils Tower climbing FAQ gives the Durrance Route timing and rappel estimate.

Do You Need A Permit Or Registration?

Devils Tower climbers must register before climbing and check current route closures. Registration also helps climbers confirm falcon closures, cultural closures, and safety updates before committing to a route.

The climbing kiosk is the practical stop before the wall. Spring and summer falcon closures can affect specific routes, and rangers enforce posted closures. Climbers also need to factor in the June voluntary climbing closure, when the park asks visitors to refrain from climbing out of respect for Native American cultural values associated with the Tower.

Good timing choice: plan a Devils Tower climb outside June, start early, and check closures before loading the rack.

Can Beginners Climb Devils Tower?

Beginners can climb Devils Tower only with the right technical support, usually through a permitted guide. The Tower is not a beginner scramble, and visitors should not attempt it without climbing skills, gear, and descent knowledge.

A guided climb still takes much of the day because the guide must manage safety, pacing, communication, and rappels. For new outdoor climbers, the time estimate should lean toward the high end of the range, not the low end.

Non-climbers still have a strong visit without summiting. The Tower Trail circles the base in 1.3 miles, and most visitors can combine that walk with the visitor center, prairie dog town, and viewpoints in a half day.

Where To Stay Near Devils Tower After The Climb

Devils Tower has no hotel lodging inside the monument, so most climbers stay in or near Devils Tower, Hulett, or Sundance. A nearby room makes an early start easier and removes the need for a long drive after rappelling down.

The monument area is small, and lodging can tighten during summer. Compare nearby stays by distance to the entrance, cancellation terms, and whether you can arrive late after a long climbing day.

Use the map below to compare lodging around Devils Tower and nearby Wyoming towns:

Which Devils Tower Timing Plan Fits Your Climb?

A strong Devils Tower plan matches your rope team’s skill to daylight, weather, and descent time. The safest plan gives the rappel the same respect as the ascent.

For most climbers, the clean answer is this: plan on 4-6 hours to climb the Durrance Route, 1-2 hours to rappel, and enough buffer to make the whole outing a full-day commitment. If that timing sounds tight, choose a guide, start earlier, or save the summit for better conditions.