The Alluring Character of Devils Tower

Nation's First Monument in Crook County, Wyoming

Jun 18, 2009

Devils Tower National Monument entices visitors by its dramatic and alluring appearance. From its earliest days, the Tower has evoked a sense of wonder and curiosity.

Near the Black Hills of northeastern Wyoming, across the border from South Dakota, sits Devils Tower, whose jutting rock portion is thought by some geologists to be the solid core of an ancient underground volcano. Erosion has removed the softer rock layers, leaving dense vertical cylinders of rock that shoot upwards from the ground below.

It is composed of symmetrical columns, some of which reach more than 600 feet and are 10 to 20 feet in width. The columns are 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-sided.

The natural structure, which rises over 1,200 feet above the surrounding terrain with a height of over 5,100 feet above sea level, is the nation’s first national monument, declared so by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.

Writing in the July 11, 2008 New York Times in “The Eerie Splendor of Devils Tower,” Stephen Regenold described its stump shape as an “eponymous tower of rock stands glinting gray and tan, cut vertically with brush strokes, its cracks and pillars stabbing the sky…Geologically, the tower is a wonder, a formation of igneous intrusion, lava burped up from underground eons ago, with time and wind and water then washing away layer upon layer to unveil the work.”

He added: “Fewer than 6,000 people live in the 2,900-square-mile county, and there are no major towns.”

The region is one where historical conflicts occurred between Native Americans and white explorers, ranchers, and homesteaders. Devils Tower is considered as sacred to several Northern Plains tribes who refer to it as Bear’s Lodge, Tree Rock, Bear’s Tipi, and by other names. The tower also represented a landmark for travelers venturing westward from the Black Hills.

To more modern day moviegoers, it is remembered from Steven Spielberg’s 1977 film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” with the monument’s flat-topped image being a key element of the story.

The drive to Devils Tower, which is approximately two and a half hours from Rapid City, South Dakota, on Interstate-90 West, takes visitors past Western landscapes and rolling prairie lands of Wyoming with sometimes few if any other vehicles on the highway.

To reach the tower, from I-90 exit at Sundance or Moorcroft, Wyoming, and take U.S. Highway 14 north to State Highway 24 north to Devils Tower. An alternative route is to take I-90 West to Alladin, Wyoming, site of a famous general store. Leave the interstate at Exit 199 and follow the signs to Devils Tower. Visitors can find information about the area at the Devils Tower Visitor Center, located three miles from the park’s entrance.

On the return trip to complete a loop back to the interstate, proceed on State Highway 24 through Hulett, where gas, food and other supplies are available. Continue east through the tiny town of Alva, then go to Aladdin. Follow State Highway 111 south to U.S. Highway 14 or I-90.

When approaching the imposing formation, Devils Tower becomes visible along the roadside from some distance. The start vertical ridges of the stone pillar span about 1,000 feet in diameter at the bottom and 275 feet across the top.

Hiking and climbing are major activities around the tower, with climbers coming from around the world to challenge their skills on the massive columns. Some do crack climbing, which is a form of free climbing. Climbers work their way up the tower using naturally occurring ledges, cracks, and projections. Ropes and other protective devices only serve as a safety backup.

Weather is always prying at the cracks. Water collects in the crevices. As the temperature changes, the water freezes and thaws, jimmying the cracks. All climbers must first register with the National Park Service which operates Devils Tower. They are asked to climb in groups.

For treks on foot around the base of the tower, the 1.3-mile paved Tower Trail offers a self-guided hike. After a steep first hundred yards, the trail becomes moderately rolling. The average walking time is 45 minutes. When taking the Tower Trial, no two sides of the enormous structure are alike. The appearance changes walking through the boulder field and the ponderosa pine forest. The trail also passes through open prairie.

As a park service sign along the trial reads: “From the eroded columns on the south to the smoother north side, the Tower has many faces. On the west side, the fallen, broken columns tell the Tower’s future.”

In addition, the Red Beds Trail covers a much wider three-mile loop around the tower.

The copyright of the article The Alluring Character of Devils Tower in Wyoming Travel is owned by John Seidenberg. Permission to republish The Alluring Character of Devils Tower in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.