TerrainBoulder-strewn hilldiabase, about 200 million years old
WhereHouck's RidgeGettysburg Battlefield
Part ofGettysburg National Military Park
Photo: Northern-Virginia-Photographer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.The place
A boulder field with a name older than the battle.
Devil’s Den is a boulder-strewn hill at the south end of Houck’s Ridge on the Gettysburg Battlefield. It formed together with Little Round Top and Big Round Top, when a mass of igneous rock about 200 million years old was split by frost over a long time.
The name goes back before 1863. In the mid-1800s local people believed a large snake lived in the crevices between the boulders, with accounts ranging from about 8 to 15 feet long. They called it “The Devil,” and the place became The Devil’s Den. Some soldiers wrote of a “Devil’s Cave” instead.
What happened here
July 2, 1863.
On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, a Union battery with six Napoleon smooth-bore guns used the hill to fire back at Confederate artillery. As Confederate attacks came in that afternoon, Devil’s Den was the far left of the Union line there. The First Texas Regiment pushed to the crest and drove the Union gunners off, and Confederate soldiers then used the hill as a base for an attack on the Wheatfield. Sharpshooters placed among the rocks fired on Union soldiers on Little Round Top.
The site has been a tourist attraction since the era of the memorial association. A monument to the 124th New York was dedicated nearby in 1884, avenues were built to reach it, and from 1894 to 1916 an electric railway curved around the base of the hill. Today several boulders are worn by foot traffic, and the area has cannons, memorials, walkways and a bridge that spans two boulders. Remember that this is ground where many soldiers fought and fell, and treat it with respect.
Photos
The boulders, then and now.
Wide panoramic photograph of Devil’s Den and the boulders along the road, taken in 1909. Original uploader was Hlj (Hal Jespersen) at en.wikipedia, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.A dry-stone wall built between two large boulders, known as the home of a rebel sharpshooter. Northern-Virginia-Photographer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Go and see it
Practical notes.
Devil’s Den is on the Gettysburg Battlefield, at the south end of Houck’s Ridge, close to Little Round Top. It is part of Gettysburg National Military Park. Tours and activities near Devil's Den.
Walkways cross the area, and several boulders are worn from foot traffic. Stay on the paths and follow the rules posted by the park.
Rules, road access and visitor services change, so check the National Park Service website before you go.
Combine it with Little Round Top, which sits just east of the hill and was in range of the sharpshooters posted among the rocks.
Sold by Viator. Prices and review counts checked on 09/09/2026. The first tour is a self-guided walk at Devil’s Den; the second covers the Gettysburg Battlefield. Check each itinerary for its stops.
Questions people ask
Before you go.
Why is it called Devil’s Den?
Before the battle, local people believed a large snake lived in the crevices between the boulders. They called it “The Devil,” and the area became The Devil’s Den.
What happened at Devil’s Den in the battle?
On July 2, 1863, a Union battery used the hill to fire at Confederate artillery. Confederate troops later captured it, and sharpshooters fired from among the rocks at Union soldiers on Little Round Top.
How were the boulders formed?
They come from a diabase rock mass about 200 million years old, split by frost wedging into the boulders you see today, like Little Round Top and Big Round Top.
Can you walk among the boulders?
Walkways and a bridge between two boulders cross the area, and several boulders are worn from foot traffic. Check the park’s current rules before you go.
More to see
Around Gettysburg
More things to do around here
Walking tours, day trips and experiences around this area, on GetYourGuide.
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