Discover Devils Tower National Monument
Imagine driving through the rolling landscapes of northeastern Wyoming when an enormous stone tower suddenly appears on the horizon.
Rising 867 feet above its base, Devils Tower is one of America's most extraordinary geological landmarks.
Designated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 as the nation's first national monument, this remarkable formation has inspired scientific curiosity, spiritual traditions, and generations of visitors.
A Geological Wonder: Nature's Stone Columns
What makes Devils Tower so unusual?
Its enormous vertical columns look almost as though someone carefully arranged thousands of stone pillars into a gigantic sculpture.
The formation consists of an igneous rock called phonolite porphyry. As molten rock cooled, it contracted and cracked into remarkable columns, many with five or six sides.
Millions of years of erosion gradually exposed the formation we see today.
Even geologists continue to debate certain details of its origins.
Bear Lodge: A Sacred Place With Ancient Stories
Long before Devils Tower became a national monument, it held profound significance for Native American communities.
Known by traditional names including Bear Lodge and Bear's Tipi, the formation is sacred to numerous tribes, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, Kiowa, and Arapaho.
Their oral traditions connect the Tower to powerful stories involving bears, people, and the natural world.
Visitors may notice prayer cloths attached to nearby trees, reminders that this remains a living sacred place. These offerings should be left undisturbed.
Tower Trail: A Walk Around a Giant
One of the best ways to appreciate Devils Tower is to explore the 1.3-mile paved Tower Trail.
Circling the base, the route passes enormous fallen boulders, beautiful ponderosa pines, and viewpoints revealing the monument from different angles.
Look upward, and you might even spot experienced rock climbers navigating its extraordinary columns.
Prairie Dog Town: A Little Wildlife Surprise
Not every attraction at Devils Tower is enormous.
Near the Belle Fourche River, visitors can observe a lively prairie dog colony, where these curious little animals communicate, forage, and disappear into underground burrows.
It's an entertaining wildlife-watching opportunity, especially for families. Remember to observe from a distance and never feed the animals.
Keep Your Devils Tower Memories Close
Whether your favorite memory is a spectacular photograph, a peaceful walk, or an unforgettable Wyoming road trip, Devils Tower offers stories worth remembering.
A GTK QR Tile connects a physical keepsake to your existing online photographs, travel stories, and favorite experiences, or brings them together on your complimentary GTK QR Page.
A little reminder of a landmark that's anything but ordinary.
Get To Know People & What They Know About Devils Tower National Monument
GTK® is an independent editorial initiative celebrating individuality, expression, connection, and the things people know.
From geologists and historians to Native American cultural knowledge holders, photographers, and climbers, Devils Tower connects us to fascinating human knowledge and perspectives.
We believe these experiences deserve to be discovered, shared, and remembered.
Visit GTK.us to discover more about people and what they know.
