September 2007
Devils Tower also known as Grizzly Bear Lodge is a unique rock formation that is situated in northeastern Wyoming near the Belle Fourche River. Actually, it's the core of a volcano exposed after millions of years of erosion. It was designated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and became America's first National Monument. Devils Tower is 864 feet high as measured from its base and is a favorite with rock climbers. You don't fully realize how huge this structure is until you get a glimpse of a rock climber scaling it.
I stopped off at the Tower while I was on my way from South Dakota to Yellowstone National Park and spent some time exploring the area. There is a trail (1.3 mile, 2km) that circles the Tower that allows close-up views and the opportunity to learn about the geology of the surroundings though many interpretive signs.
The 1,347-acre park which is covered with pine forests, woodlands, and grasslands is considered by Native Americans as a sacred place for prayer and renewal. In fact, while you're walking around the site, you'll see colorful cloths tied to trees that have been left behind. These prayer cloths and bundles are offerings containing tobacco, sweet grass and cedar that visitors are advised to not remove. While walking around the Tower, you'll also see bald eagles and ravens soaring on the thermals high above.
Devils Tower was also featured in the Steven Spielberg movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
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