This summer, are you planning a visit to this monument or another national park? Here are some interesting reasons to visit Devils Tower National Monument.
- Sacred Cultural Significance– Despite being the setting for the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” Devil’s Tower Monument is remarkable for its mythical qualities. Over 20 different tribes in the area place spiritual significance on this National Monument. They call this place “Bear’s Lodge” translated from the Lak’ota word “Mato Tipila.”
- First National Monument in the United States-On September 24, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Devil’s tower as the first monument under the Antiquities Act.
- Circle of Sacred Smoke-The sculpture represents the smoke circles from native ceremonies. it is located in a beautiful position relative to the tower and perfect for pictures.
- Prairie Dog Town-Who doesn’t like prairie dogs. They are the cutest little things ever! The prairie dogs are super photogenic and watching them is just so fascinating.
The Devils Tower National Monument is clearly visible from miles away. Dominating the skyline, it rises from the green valley floor and literally towers above the plain in northeastern Wyoming. A butte, Devils Tower is made of igneous rock, possibly a laccolithic. It rises 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River, measuring 867 feet from summit to base.
As you walk around the base, you can feel how special the place is. Taking the time to sit quietly among the prayer cloths and listen to the wind rippling through the pines was an extremely rewarding experience.
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Important Information & Facts
Before traveling to the national parks, consider purchasing and annual pass to save a bunch of money on park entrance fees. Those who buy the America the Beautiful annual parks pass to the National Park Service can go to any national park and into thousands of other federal recreation sites for the whole year. And it costs just $80.
The park is open 24 hours. The entry fee is $25 per vehicle is valid for seven days. Visitors can purchase Devils Tower National Park passes in advance by going to Recreation.gov.
Devils Tower can be reached from Interstate 90 in about 30 minutes. After departing the interstate at Sundance, Wyoming, exit 185-follow Highway 14 until it merges with Highway 24.
Alternatively, exit 153 from Interstate 90. Follow U.S. 14 east to Wyoming 24 east to Wyoming 110 west to the monument. The tower is 9 miles south of Hulett, WY.
The prominent landmark is a great stop if you are on your way to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park. As part of our Black Hills adventure, we did this as an easy 2 hour day trip from Rapid City (107-miles). We combined it with the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, Deadwood, and Sturgis.
Devils Tower National Park-Myths & Legends
As varied as the majestic monolith and its columns are the stories of Devils Tower National Monument. According to scientists, the rocks’ oldest stories reveal the geologic mysteries of their formation. American Indian cultures have passed on many other stories. Most times, myths and legends should be referred to as oral histories or sacred narratives.
The Kiowa and Lakota tribes tell the tale of a bear attacking a group of girls. To save their lives, they prayed to the Great Spirit. The legend states it formed when the rocks in the ground suddenly grew up, saving the girls. While clawing at the rock’s side, the bear left deep scratches. So that’s why it is called “Bear’s Tipi” or “Bear Lodge.”
Similarly, the Sioux tribe tells the story of two boys who wandered from their village when Mato, a bear with claws bigger than tipi poles, saw them and sought to eat them. In their prayers to Wakan Tanka, the Creator, they sought help for their situation. The rock rose. Mato then attempted to climb up the mountain from each side, leaving huge scratch marks in his wake. In the end, the bear gave up, disappointed, and decided to rest east of the Black Hills at what is now known as Bear Butte. They were helped off the rock by the eagle (Wanblee) and back to their village.
How Devils Tower Got Its Name
How did the tower get its current name? When Colonel Richard Irving Dodge led an expedition through the area in 1875, the area got its current name. A member of his team mistook the name for Devil’s Tower after misinterpreting it as “Bad God’s Tower.”
Devils Tower National Monument A thought-provoking Wonder of Nature
Although there are several theories/debates on the formation of Devils Tower, geologists still do not all agree on its history. However, the most conclusive theory is that the igneous intrusion formed 50 million years ago. Magma from deep inside the earth was forced to the surface. Injected into the older sedimentary rocks, the lava cooled and hardened. Over time, the surrounding softer sedimentary sand and clay eroded away, leaving the porphyritic phonolite intrusion forming the tower we see today. Many forces continue to weather the tower, including ice, wind, and rain.
Its most prominent feature is its columns, which are the first thing you will notice. This jointing method is not exclusive to the Devil’s Tower. Known as columnar jointing. Devils Tower’s columns are truly impressive, rising hundreds of feet high and stretching to 10 feet wide. The top of the tower is mostly flat, not a crater as portrayed in the movie, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”
Get Started with the Visitor Center
Check out the visitor’s center after you arrive at the parking lot. Built in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the small ponderosa pine cabin is on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitor Center/ bookstore is open daily from 9am-6pm. Inside we found interesting educational displays that explain much of the history of the park and the tower. Passport Cancellation Stamp is available outside visitor center 24 hours a day. Junior Ranger Programs and Ranger guided tours are available here.
TIP: Parking is very limited at the visitor center, so plan to arrive early if possible.
Rivetting Walk on the Tower Trail
By far the most popular tail in the park is the loop hike around the base of Devil’s Tower. It is a little over a mile. The paved trail includes views of the tower, great views of the Belle Fourche River valley and informational interpretive signs. Beginning at the visitor center, the initial climb is through ponderosa pine to the boulder field. Many of the trees were wrapped with Native American colorful prayer cloths or bundles. It is important to note that annual ceremonies still take place here every year. If you happen to arrive during a ceremony, please do not take photographs out of respect for the spiritual practice.
Near the top of the trail, you may notice that there are thousands of boulders covering the base of the tower. The 13-acre Boulder Field displays both the effects of weathering and erosion. The rock falls to the ground when it tumbles down the side of the tower, landing in Boulder Field.
About the midpoint on the southeast side, we looked up, trying to find the ladder that was used in 1893 by William Rogers and Willard Ripley to climb the tower. All that remains of the wooden stake ladder are a few remaining remnants 170 feet long, about 100 feet up. Hard to photograph. Instead, we easily spotted a single group of climbers making their way up the side of the tower.
Devils Tower National Monument is a Rock Climbers Challenge
Rock climbers see this vertical intrusion as a challenge. It was extraordinary watching the climbers make their way, inching up the 1200 foot vertical walls. Those with experience choose their trail scaling to the top. There is no marked trail. There are, however, over 150 rock-climbing routes in the Devils Tower. It is possible to complete the climb up large hexagonal columns in as little as 4 hours, but most take longer. It was incredible to see.
The tower trail provided a little known fact. A parachutist named George Hopkins attempted to land on Devils Tower in 1941. As he was falling, a rope of 1000 feet missed the top of the tower and landed on the side of the tower where he couldn’t reach it. Despite being stranded for six days, he took advantage of the publicity that resulted from his situation. In the meantime, a plane dropped supplies and blankets to him on the tower as he awaited rescue.
Note: Climbers are required to register at the visitor’s center. Beware of snakes, rodents and other wildlife that call the tower home.
Interesting Geological Features Devils Tower National Monument
During your walk along the eastern part of the Tower Trail, you will see what appears to be an indent on the side of the Tower, called the Window. An important feature of the Tower, the Window, is roughly 300 feet tall. As erosional features, it is a curious feature of the Tower. As time passed, a layer of large pillars crumbled from the Tower, exposing pillars from underneath.
Exciting Hiking Trails @ Devil’s Tower National Monument
It took us several hours to explore the many trails that surround the tower. Every path offered a unique perspective and view of the tower. Click here for a downloadable map. The park terrain is covered with pine forests, woodlands, and grasslands, a perfect habitat for wildlife.
TIP: If you plan on doing any hiking, we recommend each person should bring at least one liter of water per hour to drink. Protect yourself from the sun and heat by also wearing sunscreen with a high SPF. Wearing a hat is a must.
Red Beds Trail
The 2.5-mile tail is relatively level and can be combined with other trails to form a loop. WE used the short 0.6 south-side trail to complete the loop. You can get the best views of this geologic Spearfish Formation by hiking the Red Beds Trail. It gains its distinct red color from iron minerals oxidized. Composed mainly of sandstone and shale, it dates between 195-225 million years ago.
Joyner Trail
A hike along the 1.5 mile Joyner Ridge Trail. It offers beautiful views of the Tower while following the ridgeline. It passes through tall grass prairies and dense forests. The Joyner Trail is one of the monument’s lesser-known quieter trails and offers a chance to explore another part of the monument. It is a great place to get away from the crowds. This1.5-mile moderately challenging walking trail gives visitors the opportunity to explore the monument in another way. It is off the beaten path a hidden treasure.
Circle of Sacred Smoke Sculpture
The sculpture by the Japanese artist Junkyu Muto symbolizes peace. Sitting atop a massive granite base, they took the marble rock for the sculpture from Italy’s Fantiscritti Quarry. Said to be the source of Michelangelo’s marble. She carved it to raise awareness of the native tribes that find this to be a sacred place. It represents a puff of smoke as it leaves the ceremonial pipe and rises. I just love how it frames the monument.
Thought-provoking Wildlife Encounters – Devils Tower National Monument
Devils Tower National Monument protects many species of wildlife such as elk, moose, mule deer, whitetail deer, wild turkey, prairie dog, bald eagle, black bear and sage grouse. During our hikes, we watched the antics of magpies, the surly chipmunks and many rabbits.
Did you know the prairie dog is a keystone species? Prairie dog habitat is disappearing across the United States as a result of urbanization and farming. Many prairie dog populations are threatened by disease as well.
Visitors to Devils Tower can get a glimpse of these beautiful animals at Prairie Dog Town, which is home to a large colony of black-tailed prairie dogs. During my hike to the Circle of Sacred Smoke Sculpture I was fascinated watching them move from hole to hole. The prairie dog alarm system evident as you can hear their high-pitched squeaks and barks alerting others that I was nearby. They are ever vigilant.
Interpretive signs in the park stated, they create mounds for nesting purposes. This also regenerates topsoil, which encourages the prairie grasses to grow. Additionally, prairie dogs play a significant role in the food chain because of their use as food sources by many animals, such as golden eagles and coyotes.
Friendly reminder: please do not feed the prairie dogs or any wildlife. These animals have a specially adapted diet tied to their environment and anything consumed outside of their natural diet can cause serious health complications for these critters. Remember, leave no trace.
Final Thoughts on Devils Tower
It’s just so mind-boggling, it is truly a magnificent place! We never expected to be impressed with the Devil’s Tower. We weren’t sure if we wanted to go to Devil’s Tower on our Dakota road trip, but we sure are glad we did. Both of us being children of the ‘70s, we have seen Close Encounters of the Third Kind a few times. This place is magical, and hard to describe in a few words. It definitely captured our imagination.
Have you ever visited Devils Tower, Wyoming or the Black Hills, South Dakota? If so, what were your favorite places? Please let us know by leaving us a comment below.
Jason
Love your images and reading about your trip! We too loved Devils Tower, the prairie dogs were our favorite, but the views from the trail were also beautiful!
Travel the Parks
Thank you so much for your comment. Yes we found the prairie dogs to be delightful. Again thanks for reading our blog!