Devils Tower National Monument is located in Crook County in northeastern Wyoming, United States.The monument is located across the South Dakota border in Wyoming. It’s about 110 mi (177 km) away from Rapid City.We can see Devils Tower National Monument from WY Highway 24 in Wyoming. We also know it as Bear Lodge Butte. It was never a part of a volcano and is a sacred site for Native Americans.Devils Tower is a laccolith and made up of igneous rock. It’s a part of the Black Hills located in Bear Lodge Ranger. William Rogers and Willard Ripley were the first ones to climb Devils Tower on Jul 4, 1893. Devils Tower National Monument has an area of 545 ha (1,346.7 acres). The fee for Devils Tower National Monument is approximately $40. Devils Tower got its name because the interpreter of Colonel Richard Irving Dodge misunderstood its native name as Bad God’s Tower. It’s well known for its golf club, rock climbing, and other activities.Devils Tower National Monument is located near the Belle Fourche in South Dakota near the Bear Lodge Ranger District, Black Hills. Devils Tower was the first national monument in the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt declared it a national monument on Sept 24, 1906. The easiest route to Devils Tower National Monument is the Durrance Route.There are two legends that surround Devils Tower according to local Native American tribes. The Lakota Sioux legend states that six girls went out to pick flowers and were attacked and chased by bears. The Great Spirit raised the floor and created a tower to protect them. The bears attempted to climb the tower but fell off.The Kiowa legend states that seven Kiowa girls went to play outside when they were chased by giant bears. They prayed to the Great Spirit who rose the ground towards heaven. When the bears tried to climb the rocks, they left deep claw marks. Once the girls had reached the sky, they turned into constellations. Devils Tower is considered the birthplace of wisdom. It is a sacred site of Plains Indians, made up of several nomadic Native American tribes in the region. The Driskill family completed its agricultural conservation.The Wildlife In The ParkBelow are some details about the wildlife in Devils Tower National Monument park.White-Tailed Deer: They can be found throughout the park. Interestingly, their fur changes color depending on the season. In summers it’s a russet color and in winter it turns gray-brown. White-tailed deer eat shrubs, grasses, and conifers.Mule Deer: Their fur is light brown in color. They live in grasslands, in bushy areas, and coniferous forests. Mule deer eat shrubs, grasses, and conifers.Elk: Their fur is reddish-brown in color and grows thick in winters. They are not common in the area and are mostly seen in the Black Hills.Pronghorn: Also called antelopes, their fur is reddish-brown in color. Pronghorn’s typically eat grass and sagebrush.Least Chipmunk: They are brown and have five stripes on their back and sides. Least chipmunks have cheek pouches where they carry nuts and seeds. They live in burrows under logs, shrubs, and rocks.Red Squirrel: Their upper half is brownish-red and has strips on the ventral side. They eat seeds, tree buds, fungi, and insects.Eastern Fox Squirrel: They may be reddish-brown, gray, or black in color. They eat fungi, insects, bird eggs, and saps.Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs: They eat grasses and forbs and aren’t true hibernators.Beaver: They are aquatic animals with webbed feet and transparent eyelids. They eat bark, leaves, roots, and aquatic plants.Deer Mice: They are gray or reddish-brown and typically eat insects, spiders, nuts, and seeds.Striped Skunks: They have black fur and two white stripes. Striped skunks eat eggs, insects, fruits, and small mammals. They also produce a powerful smell as a defensive mechanism.Many other animals can be found in Devils Tower including porcupine, bushy-tailed woodrat, muskrat, mountain cottontail, long-tailed weasel, American mink, American badger, coyote, red fox, gray fox, raccoon, mountain lion, bobcat, little brown bat, hoary bat, eastern red bat, black foot ferret, gray wolf, black bear, lynx, grizzly bear, pelicans, cormorants, wading bird, geese, ducks, diurnal raptors, gulls, doves, cuckoos, owls, hummingbirds, kingfishers, woodpeckers, larks, crows, magpies, wrens, waxwings, sparrows, starlings, finches, salamanders, toads, true frogs, spadefoot, minnows, suckers, bullhead catfishes, sunfishes, perches, snakes, snapping turtle, spiny softshell turtle, and others are also found in Devils Tower.Tours And Camping In Devil TowerSome of the tours and camping grounds available in the Devils Towers National Monument are given below.There are interpretive talks offered by the park rangers who can also provide information regarding climbing Devils Tower, its geology, and other local trivia.The Tower walk is conducted during sunrise. It takes place until the end of Tower trail.The evening programs include campfires, amphitheater, and full moonwalks.The cultural program series includes various scholars, artists, performers, storytellers, musicians, historians, poets, photographers, astronomers, and others.The Belle Fourche River Campground has three tents for groups. No advance reservations can be made for this campground. You need to bring your own sleeping bags, camp chairs, stove, water container, and cooler.Other camping sites near Devils Tower are Mountain View RV Camping, Devils Tower KOA Campground, Tipi Camping, Reuter Campground, Sundance Campground, Cook Lake Campground, Bearlodge Campground, Screaming Eagle Campground, and free dispersed camping.Pets are allowed only in certain regions of the monument. They must be on a leash.Ranger-Led Activities Offered At Devil’s TowerThere are various ranger-led activities conducted in Devils Tower National Monument, including:Full Moon Walks: This tour takes around one and a half hours to complete. Through this, you can explore the nightlife of Devils Tower National Monument. You can take in the beauty of the night sky. You need to take flashlights with you and wear comfortable shoes and a jacket. The program begins from the parking lot on Joyer Ridge Trail.Tower Walk: This program also takes approximately one and a half hours. This program will help you get a better knowledge about the geology, wildlife, plants, and indigenous people of Devils Tower. The trail is about 1.3 mi (2.1 km). It’s advised to bring plenty of water for the walk and to wear comfortable shoes too. The group meets at the parking lot of the Visitor Center.Evening Program: This program lasts for 45-60 min. It is conducted in the amphitheater in the park. You can relax and enjoy the cultural and natural history of Devils Tower.Ranger Talks: This program runs for about 20 minutes. It’s conducted at the Interpretive Kiosk in the Visitor Center. It includes topics like June voluntary climbing closure, facets of Tower, climbing management plan, 1906 Antiquities Act, President Theodore Roosevelt, and professional parachutist George Hopkins was stuck atop the Tower back in 1941.Winter Activities At Devils TowerSome of the winter activities at Devils Tower National Monument are given below.Hiking: There is an 8 mi (12.9 km) and a 1.3 mi (2.1 km) hiking trail in Devils Tower National Monument. The hike goes through meadows and tranquil forests.Cross-Country Skiing: There are various local paths and huge trail systems in Devils Tower to suit many levels.Skiing: There are various snowboarding and skiing resorts near Devils Tower.Ice Skating: There are skating rinks near Devil’s Tower.Rock Climbing: You can register for rock climbing at the kiosk at the Visitor Center.Rock Climbing At Devils TowerThe details of rock climbing at Devils Tower National Monument are given below.The Devils Tower National Monument is one of the best places for rock climbing in the country. The trails are visible from the highway.It’s about 400 ft (121.9 m) high and has columns in the shape of hexagons. The best time to go to Devils Tower is between August and March.Rock climbing is permitted in the Devils Tower even in winters. Every year, rock climbers from all around the world come to Devils Tower for rock climbing.The rocks at Devils Tower are made up of porphyritic phonolite. There are more than 200 climbing routes in Devils Tower.There are about two to seven pitches in most of the routes in Devils Tower. The best route for rock climbing is Durrance Route, Walt Bailey, Assembly Line, and Brokedown Palace.Prairie Dog Town at Devils Tower National MonumentThere is a Prairie Dog Town at the Devils Tower National Monument.Prairie Dog Town is located at the Belle Fourche River hub and is one of the few remaining prairie dog towns in the Black Hills.Prairie Dog Town at the Devil’s Tower is approximately 16.2 ha (40 acres) in size. It’s open for visitors and you can enjoy the lifestyle of prairie dogs. It’s advised to stay away from prairie dogs and avoid feeding them.The town comprises a flat field that is pockmarked and has hundreds of burrow holes and it’s located inside Devils Tower National Monument.It has been there for a very long time.
Devils Tower National Monument is located in Crook County in northeastern Wyoming, United States.
