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and Goingoutside.com

Ken's Hiking

Welcome to my site, it's about hiking and backpacking.

Don't leave any of the items below at home when you want to go hiking.

CAMP STOVE
Stratus Trailstove, the only way to go. The Trailstove burns wood, not gas. Wood is readily available at your camp site. Wood does not explode if you leave it in the sun. Wood will not cause brain and nerve damage if accidentally inhaled. Wood does not require a heavy metal container for storage and transportation.

MEDICAL KIT
Hopefully you won't need your first aid kit but chances are that sooner or later you will need it.

RUBBING ALCOHOL
I'm not a great proponent of chemicals but rubbing alcohol is an exception. It's very important to have some handy.

SLEEPING BAG
Warm enough sleeping bags for the coldest possible weather to accommodate all the people you're bringing.

FIRE
Pocket lighters are cheap and light, and fire is very important on a cold winter night. Bring at least three of them just in case one or two stop working. If your lighter gets jammed with snow it may not work until you remove the snow and dry it, so make sure your lighters are in a place where they don't get directly exposed to snow. Don't use matches, they run out quite quickly, and once they get wet they'll never work again.

Kill animals with a deadfall trap.

This is the most simple type of trap you can make but it's very deadly, it will kill or cripple an animal easily. Don't do this unless it's a life and death situation.

Find a heavy log that can be lifted up on one side.

Put a round rock on the ground under one edge of the log.

Find a good strong stick that can support the log.

Find a smaller stick to hold the bait.

Put one edge of the bait stick on the round rock, lift the log up and support it with the strong stick. The bait stick should be wedged between the strong stick and the round rock and with the other end suspended in the air under the log.

Carefully put the bait on the bait stick and walk away.

Devils Tower National Monument

Devils Tower, WY

The nearly vertical monolith known as Devils Tower rises 1,267 feet above the meandering Belle Fourche River. Once hidden below the earth's surface, erosion has stripped away the softer rock layers revealing Devils Tower.Known by several northern plains tribes as Bears Lodge, it is a sacred site of worship for many American Indians. The rolling hills of this 1,347 acre park are covered with pine forests, deciduous woodlands, and prairie grasslands. Deer, prairie dogs, and other wildlife are abundant. Proclaimed September 24, 1906 as the nation's first national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt.

CONTACTS

Email - deto_interpretation@nps.gov

Fax- 307-467-5350

Write to
P.O. Box 10
Devils Tower, WY 82714-0010

Phone
Visitor Information - (307) 467-5283

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Devils Tower National Monument is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Visitor Center is open 8:30 - 4:30 through November 25, then closes for the season. Information can be obtained at the Administration Building during the winter. The campground and picnic area are closed for the season.

Getting There
PLANE - Nearest commercial airports at Gillette, WY and Rapid City, SD

CAR - Visitors travelling east on I-90 exit at Moorcroft, WY. Visitors travelling west on I-90 exit at Sundance, WY, take 14 north to 24, take 24 north to Devils Tower.

Weather & Climate
Cold winters, snow not unusual. Cool rainy springs. Warm, sometimes hot summers with some thunderstorms. Mild to cool falls.

Accessibility
Facilities at the picnic area, campground, amphitheatre and administration building are accessible. The Visitor Center is accessible, but the restrooms are not. Accessible restrooms are located next door in the Ranger Office building. Interpretive talks in front of the Visitor Center are handicap accessible. Trails are steep and narrow.

Getting Around
Personal vehicle and hiking. Pets are not allowed on trails, but leashed pets may be exercised in the parking areas and along the main road.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
INDIVIDUAL VEHICLE PASS
$8 for 7 Days

MOTORCYCLE AND BICYCLE PASS
$3 for 7 Days

PEDESTRIAN PASS
$3 for 7 Days

Activity Fee
CAMPING FEE
$12 for Day

Local Passport
ANNUAL DEVILS TOWER PARK PASS
$20 for Annual

CAMPING

Belle Fourche Campground
The 30-site campground at Devils Tower is nestled along an oxbow bend in the Belle Fourche River. Sites can accomodate tents or RVs up to 35 feet in length. The campground is operated on a first come/first serve basis. There is a $12.00 per site, per day camping fee. Three group sites are available at $2.00 per person, with a minimum of 6 persons per site.Golden Age/Access discounts (1/2 price) apply to camping fees. Handicap campsites are available. Hookups, showers, and dump station are NOT available. Drinking water and handicap-accessible restroom facilities are located in the campground and at the picnic area.

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
DEVILS TOWER VISITOR CENTER
Hours vary with season
Open Until November 25 daily 8:30 to 4:30
Available Facilities - Visitor Center is located at the end of the park road at the base of the Tower. Includes exhibits and a Natural History Association bookstore Outdoor wayside exhibits can be found throughout the monument.

Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service

CAMP STOVE Stratus Trailstove, the only way to go. The Trailstove burns wood, not gas. Wood is readily available at your camp site. Wood does not explode if you leave it in the sun. Wood will not cause brain and nerve damage if accidentally inhaled. Wood does not require a heavy metal container for storage and transportation.
MEDICAL KIT Hopefully you won't need your first aid kit but chances are that sooner or later you will need it.
RUBBING ALCOHOL I'm not a great proponent of chemicals but rubbing alcohol is an exception. It's very important to have some handy.
SLEEPING BAG Warm enough sleeping bags for the coldest possible weather to accommodate all the people you're bringing.
FIRE Pocket lighters are cheap and light, and fire is very important on a cold winter night. Bring at least three of them just in case one or two stop working. If your lighter gets jammed with snow it may not work until you remove the snow and dry it, so make sure your lighters are in a place where they don't get directly exposed to snow. Don't use matches, they run out quite quickly, and once they get wet they'll never work again.