Wyoming Bucket List: What It Takes To Climb Devil’s Tower

Due to the fact that I'm afraid of heights, the chances of me actually doing this are probably slim to none. However, let's pretend I don't have that fear. What would it take to really climb Devil's Tower National Monument in Wyoming? Answer: it's not as hard as you might think.

A couple weeks ago, Chris Barrow shared a relatively short video of his first climb on Devil's Tower. He makes it look easy. Spoiler Alert: it's not.

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That's impressive. The National Park Service has an extensive guide on the do's and don'ts of a Devil's Tower climb. They share that the technical difficulty ranks between 5.7 and 5.13. If you don't know what that means, you really don't need to consider doing this climb. They also have this very basic rule you MUST follow:

Register before your climb at the climbing kiosk located at the head for the Tower Trail (visitor center parking area). Complete the left side of the card and keep the right side to deposit after your climb. Registration is a legal requirement for all persons planning to climb or scramble above the boulder field. Failure to obtain a permit is subject to citation and fine.

Other things to consider include planning ahead meaning to know what the weather forecast is. Sounds basic, but you can't and wouldn't want to get caught on this rock in the middle of a thunderstorm.

You're also not allowed to leave any gear on Devil's Tower or use chipping or gluing maneuvers during your climb. You'd think that would be obvious, but in today's society it's necessary to spell everything out.

I would LOVE to say that I completed this at some point. For me, that's likely dreaming. Maybe for you if you're an experienced climber and know what you're doing, it's possible. Make sure to check out the full National Park Service guide if climbing Devil's Tower is something you'd like to put on a to-do list someday.