Devils Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Devils Tower(Bear Lodge) |
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| Matȟó Thípila (Lakota), Daxpitcheeaasáao (Crow) | |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,112 ft (1,558 m) NAVD 88 |
| Geography | |
| Location | Crook County, Wyoming, United States |
| Parent range | Bear Lodge Mountains, part of the Black Hills |
| Topo map | USGS Devils Tower |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Laccolith |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | William Rogers and Willard Ripley, July 4, 1893 |
| Easiest route | Durrance Route |
| Devils Tower National Monument | |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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 Devils Tower National Monument
Location in the United States
Devils Tower National Monument
Location in Wyoming
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| Nearest city | Hulett, Wyoming |
| Area | 1,346 acres (5.45 km2) |
| Established | September 24, 1906 |
| Visitors | 499,031 (in 2017) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Devils Tower National Monument |
Devils Tower, also known as Matȟó Thípila or Bear Lodge, is a giant rock formation in northeastern Wyoming, United States. It's a unique butte made of igneous rock, which is rock formed from cooled magma. This amazing natural wonder stands tall above the Belle Fourche River, rising about 386 meters (1,267 feet) from the riverbed. From its base to its top, it's about 264 meters (867 feet) high. The very top of Devils Tower is 1,558 meters (5,112 feet) above sea level.
This incredible landmark became the very first United States national monument on September 24, 1906. President Theodore Roosevelt officially established it to protect its natural beauty and importance. The area around the Tower that is part of the monument covers about 545 hectares (1,347 acres).
Contents
Understanding the Name of Devils Tower
Many Native American tribes have their own special names for this towering rock. Some of these names mean "Bear's House," "Bear's Lodge," or "Bear's Tipi" in languages like Lakota and Cheyenne. Other names include "Aloft on a Rock" (Kiowa), "Tree Rock," and "Great Gray Horn."
The name "Devils Tower" came about in 1875 during an expedition. It's believed that an interpreter misunderstood a native name, leading to the name "Bad God's Tower," which was later shortened to "Devils Tower." Today, all official signs use "Devils Tower" without an apostrophe, following a standard for geographic names.
In 2005 and again in 2014, there were discussions about officially recognizing the Native American name "Bear Lodge." Some people felt this would better honor the site's cultural importance. However, others worried about how a name change might affect tourism. In the end, the name was not changed.
How Devils Tower Was Formed: A Geological Story
The land around Devils Tower is mostly made of sedimentary rocks. These are rocks formed from layers of sand, mud, and other materials that settled over millions of years. The oldest rocks you can see here were laid down in a shallow sea during the Triassic period. These rocks are dark red sandstone and maroon siltstone, often mixed with shale. You can spot them along the Belle Fourche River. The red color comes from iron minerals in the rocks.
Later, during the Paleocene Epoch, about 56 to 66 million years ago, huge mountains like the Rocky Mountains and the Black Hills began to rise. Deep underground, hot, melted rock called magma pushed its way up through the Earth's crust. This magma squeezed into the existing layers of sedimentary rock.
Geologists believe that Devils Tower itself formed from this magma. It's a type of igneous intrusion called a laccolith. This means the magma pushed up the layers of rock above it but didn't break through to the surface. Instead, it cooled and hardened underground.
The rock that makes up the Tower is a type of phonolite porphyry. It's a gray or greenish-gray igneous rock with visible white crystals. As this magma cooled about 40.5 million years ago, it shrank and cracked. These cracks formed amazing columns, mostly six-sided, but some have four, five, or seven sides. These columns can be up to 6 meters (20 feet) wide and 183 meters (600 feet) tall!
Over millions of years, rain, snow, and wind slowly wore away the softer sedimentary rocks around the hardened magma. This erosion exposed the tough, column-shaped rock that we now see as Devils Tower. Even today, pieces of the Tower, or even entire columns, break off and fall, creating piles of rock at its base. This shows that the Tower was once even wider than it is now.
Native American Cultural Stories and Beliefs
Devils Tower is a very sacred place for many Native American tribes. It has inspired many traditional stories that explain its unique shape.
One well-known story from the Kiowa and Lakota tribes tells of a group of girls playing. Giant bears began to chase them. To escape, the girls climbed onto a rock and prayed for help. The Great Spirit heard their prayers and made the rock grow taller and taller towards the sky, out of the bears' reach. As the bears tried to climb the rising rock, their claws left deep marks on its sides. These marks are what we see on Devils Tower today. When the girls reached the sky, they became the stars of the Pleiades.
Another story, from the Sioux people, describes two boys who were chased by a huge bear named Mato. The boys prayed to Wakan Tanka, the Creator. A giant rock rose beneath them, lifting them to safety. Mato tried to climb the rock, leaving deep scratch marks, but couldn't reach them. An eagle, Wanblee, later helped the boys return to their village. A painting of this legend can be seen at the Devils Tower visitor center.
A Cheyenne version tells of a giant bear chasing girls. Two sisters escaped and told two boys that the bear could only be defeated by an arrow shot through its foot. The boys led the bear to Devils Tower, tricking it into thinking the girls had climbed it. As the bear tried to climb, it left claw marks. The boys shot arrows, eventually scaring the bear away when one arrow came very close to its foot and then flew up into the sky, never to return.
These stories show how deeply connected Native American cultures are to Devils Tower and how they understand its powerful presence in their world.
History of Devils Tower
While fur trappers might have visited the area earlier, the first non-Native American visitors to document seeing Devils Tower were part of an expedition led by Captain William F. Raynolds in 1859. Sixteen years later, in 1875, Colonel Richard Irving Dodge led a scientific survey team to the rock formation. It was during this expedition that the name "Devils Tower" was first used.
Recognizing its special importance, the United States Congress made the area a U.S. forest reserve in 1892. Then, in 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt officially declared Devils Tower as the nation's very first National monument, ensuring its protection for future generations.
Climbing Devils Tower
Devils Tower is a popular spot for climbers from all over the world. About 1.3% of the monument's many visitors try to climb its steep walls each year.
The first known climb of Devils Tower happened on July 4, 1893. Two local ranchers, William Rogers and Willard Ripley, built a ladder using wooden pegs driven into cracks in the rock. You can still see some of these old wooden pegs today if you hike along the Tower Trail. This ladder was used for about 30 years before it eventually fell apart.
Modern climbing techniques were first used in 1937 by Fritz Wiessner, along with William P. House and Lawrence Coveney. Wiessner mostly climbed without using special equipment to help him up, relying on his own strength and skill.
In 1941, a person named George Hopkins tried a daring stunt by parachuting onto Devils Tower. He got stuck and needed a rescue team, led by experienced climber Jack Durrance, to help him get down safely after six days. This event was widely reported in the news at the time.
Today, hundreds of climbers tackle the Tower's challenging routes every summer. The Durrance Route is one of the most common paths. There are many different climbing routes, ranging from easier ones to some of the most difficult in the world. All climbers must register with a park ranger before and after their climb. For safety, no overnight camping is allowed on the summit; climbers must return to the base on the same day.
Devils Tower is a sacred place for several Native American tribes, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Kiowa. Because of this, many tribal leaders have asked climbers to show respect by not climbing during the month of June. This is when tribes hold important ceremonies around the monument. The park asks climbers to voluntarily avoid climbing in June, and about 85% of climbers choose to honor this request.
Safety is very important for climbers at Devils Tower. Park rangers are always ready to help climbers who might get into trouble or need assistance on the Tower. It's crucial for everyone to be prepared and safe when climbing.
Amazing Wildlife at Devils Tower
Devils Tower National Monument is home to many different kinds of animals. You might spot white-tailed deer grazing, busy prairie dogs in their towns, or even majestic bald eagles soaring overhead. The monument works to protect these wonderful creatures and their homes.
Historic Places at the Monument
Several important areas within Devils Tower National Monument are recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are protected for their historical value. These include the Entrance Road, the Entrance Station, the Old Headquarters Area Historic District, and the Tower Ladder.
Gallery
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Devils Tower in 1900
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Red sandstone and siltstone cliffs above the Belle Fourche River
See also
In Spanish: Monumento nacional de la Torre del Diablo para niños
- Elephant Butte
- List of national monuments of the United States
- Shiprock
