The Devils Tower in Wyoming is a stunning and sacred site that has been drawing visitors for centuries. It is the first National Monument in the United States, established in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. The tower is a sacred site for many Plains Indians, and it is also a popular spot for rock climbing. June is an especially important time in the Plains religious calendar, when many people visit the site for religious services.
The Devils Tower is a massive geological formation that has been shaped by natural forces over time. Some believe that the magma that formed the tower penetrated to the surface, while others think that erosion eroded the softer sedimentary rock to eventually expose it. Wind and water continue to erode the pillar, and sometimes entire columns break and fall to the ground around it. As rain and snow continue to erode the sedimentary rocks surrounding the base of the Tower, more of it will be exposed.
In 1893, two local ranchers were the first to climb Devils Tower using a wooden ladder. The Access Fund, a national climbing organization, has officially supported the program and the Park Service reports that since 1995, rock climbing at Devils Tower during June has fallen by more than 80%. Geologists Carpenter and Russell studied Devils Tower in the late 19th century and concluded that it consisted of an igneous intrusion. O'Harra (from the South Dakota School of Mines) theorized that Devils Tower should be an eroded remnant of a laccolite.
I have visited Devils Tower several times over the years, but it always amazes me when I see it appear on the horizon. In a more recent story, two sisters take a bear to Devils Tower and trick him into thinking they have climbed it. The Devils Tower National Monument is an incredible site that has been drawing visitors for centuries. It is a sacred site for many Plains Indians, as well as a popular spot for rock climbing.
June is an especially important time in the Plains religious calendar, when many people visit this incredible site for religious services.
