For the classic first walk, choose Tower Trail. For wider views and fewer people, choose Red Beds or Joyner Ridge. Pets are not allowed on any park trail.
Tower Trail
Tower Trail begins above the visitor center parking area. The paved 1.3-mile loop circles the base through ponderosa pine, boulder fields and changing views of the Tower’s columns.
Including the approach from the parking lot, the National Park Service describes the full outing as about 1.8 miles. The loop has moderate grades and can become crowded, especially in the middle of a summer day.
Red Beds Trail
The 2.8-mile Red Beds loop opens the view beyond the base. It passes red rock formations and overlooks the Belle Fourche River valley while repeatedly changing the angle on the Tower.
Expect steeper sections and more sun exposure than on Tower Trail. Combine it with South Side or Valley View if you start near the campground and picnic area.
Joyner Ridge Trail
Joyner Ridge is a 1.5-mile loop along the quieter north side of the monument. The ridge offers broad prairie-and-Tower compositions that feel very different from the close views at the base.
A dirt road reaches the small trailhead. One side of the loop has significant elevation change, and the route can also be connected to Red Beds by a 0.6-mile connector.
Valley View and South Side
Both trails begin near the picnic area and amphitheater. Valley View follows gentler ground through prairie dog habitat and along the Belle Fourche River; South Side also crosses the prairie dog town before climbing more steeply to Red Beds.
A 1.5-mile amphitheater circuit combines Valley View, Red Beds and South Side. It is a useful alternative when upper parking is full, but the hike to the visitor center involves roughly 440 feet of elevation gain.
Check current official information
Details such as fees, openings, closures and regulations can change. Use these official sources before travel: