![]() All information signs in that area use the name "Devils Tower", following a geographic naming standard whereby the apostrophe is omitted. The name "Devil's Tower" originated in 1875 during an expedition led by Colonel Richard Irving Dodge, when his interpreter reportedly misinterpreted a native name to mean "Bad God's Tower". Native American names for the monolith include "Bear's House" or "Bear's Lodge" (or "Bear's Tipi", "Home of the Bear", "Bear's Lair") Cheyenne, Lakota: Matȟó Thípila, Crow: Daxpitcheeaasáao ("Home of Bears" ), "Aloft on a Rock" ( Kiowa), "Tree Rock", "Great Gray Horn", and "Brown Buffalo Horn" ( Lakota: Ptehé Ǧí). The monument's boundary encloses an area of 1,347 acres (545 ha). The summit is 5,112 feet (1,558 m) above sea level.ĭevils Tower was the first United States national monument, established on September 24, 1906, by President Theodore Roosevelt. It rises 1,267 feet (386 m) above the Belle Fourche River, standing 867 feet (264 m) from summit to base. The rest of the path along it was just OK, with peekaboo views throughout but mostly in the woods and I probably would have liked to spend more time just looking at the formation itself.Devils Tower in 1900 (left), and red sandstone and siltstone cliffs above the Belle Fourche River (right)ĭevils Tower (also known as Bear Lodge Butte) is a butte, possibly laccolithic, composed of igneous rock in the Bear Lodge Ranger District of the Black Hills, near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River. You get expansive views of the valley, get to see a ton of boulders, and we saw 5 people climbing from that side. If I were to do it again, I think I'd walk to the right of the path and up just 25% of the way around. Honestly I think the views were just OK on the path, and it was very crowded. It was not a super easy stroll or anything, lots of uphill, but paved the whole way. I do actually love this concept though so that you don't have people fighting over spots and stuff. They have a very small parking lot at the top, so they actually stop people with a stoplight on the main path in and only let in a few cars at a time. ![]() When we left around 12 the line was crazy. We got there around 10.15 which was a little later than we hoped and we had to wait in line for about 20 minutes. They are not joking about coming early or late being recommended. I recommend this site for anyone in the area. The walk took us about 45 minutes but was well worth it. If you are lucky, you may be able to see people climbing up or down the monument. The climb is a bit steep and strenuous in parts but worth the effort for the view of the monument and the vista of the valley. I recommend the Tower trail that is a 1.5 mile round trip as it goes around the monument. ![]() The parking is limited and the area is under construction so it may be difficult to find a parking space on a busy day. It is a 3 mile drive up to the 2 paths that you can take. One if for the Prairie dog village on one side and another is to explain concrete structures in the river. Once you pass the entrance booth, there are pullouts driving around the hill to the parking area. They allow climbimg on the face but you must register. There is a fee to enter as it is the first National Monument of the United States dedicated in 1906. Do not expect any “Close Encounters of the Third kind” experience. So I will admit that I was skeptical about going to this site but I am glad that I did.
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