What is Devil's Tower?
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Devils Tower is a massive igneous rock formation and laccolithic butte located in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, rising 867 feet (264 m) above the surrounding prairies and 1,267 feet (386 m) above the Belle Fourche River. It was established as the first United States national monument on September 24, 1906, by President Theodore Roosevelt.
Geologically, the tower is composed of phonolite porphyry, a rare igneous rock that formed approximately 40 to 50 million years ago when magma cooled underground, creating the world's largest example of columnar jointing. While the exact formation process remains a subject of scientific debate—with theories ranging from an eroded volcanic plug to a remnant of a laccolith—it is widely accepted that erosion stripped away the softer surrounding sedimentary rocks to expose the hard, resistant tower.
The site holds profound cultural significance for numerous Native American tribes, including the Lakota, Kiowa, Cheyenne, and Crow, who revere it as a sacred place known by names such as Bear Lodge (Matȟó Thípila) or Bear's House. Its origin story is famously linked to the mistranslation of a Native American name by Colonel Richard Irving Dodge in 1875, who reportedly interpreted a native term meaning "Bad God's Tower" as "Devil's Tower." Today, it is also a popular destination for rock climbing and stargazing, and during June, climbers voluntarily observe a climbing freeze to allow tribes to perform traditional ceremonies.
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Sunday, March 29, 2026 11:13AM