Black Hill region of the western US state of Wyoming is an ideal place to enjoy the natural beauty. Many people flock to the foot of this mountain every year to hike.
As the hikers reach the banks of the Belle Fourche River, a tower-like object becomes visible. At first glance, it may seem like ancient architecture.
Many hikers think indigenous people of the region built this architecture. But one of the interesting facts about the Devils Tower is that humans did not build it.
It looks like the architecture of Egypt, Peru, and Scotland. But when anyone gets closer, everything becomes vivid. Nature formed this structure which looks like a ridged top.
4 Interesting Facts about The Devils Tower
It is a very famous place in the United States of America, without any doubt. So it is simple to have many interesting facts about this place.
1. The Cause of Naming Devils Tower
Colonel Richard Irving Dodge and geologist Walter P. Jenney conducted a survey. They did this survey in 1875 in the Black Hill region.
They had news about many gold reserves in the Black Hill region. They did not find any gold when they reached there. But they became fascinated by the beauty of this structure.
Dodge called it one of the most remarkable peaks in the world. The Native Americans called it Lakota Matȟó Thípila, meaning ‘Home of the Bear’ or abode of bears.
But the translator translates the name given by the Native American people as Bad God’s Tower. Colonel Dodge, thus, named it ‘Devil’s Tower. This misnomer once became famous worldwide.
2. Local Legend about This Place
The natives climbed up on a rock and knelt to pray to their spirits to escape from the bear. The Great Spirit hears their prayers and stretches the stone toward heaven to save them.
And so the bears tried to climb to the top. And the scratches of the bear’s claws created a grooved shape on the tower. But another native community tells another story.
The story is that a bear killed all but the two girls. The surviving girls return to their house and describe this story to the boys. They learn the method of killing bears from their priest.
This method is to kill bears by shooting an arrow under their feet. The boys lead the bears to the top, and the bears think the boys are on the top.
The bears then make repeated attempts to climb to the top. It created more and more grooves to appear on the top.
Once an arrow shot by the boys hits the bear very close to its feet, the bear gets scared and runs away. It is how this peak originated.
3. Modern Theory about This Place
We can see revolutionary development in science and science fiction in the world. Many modern theories about this mysterious structure are available because of this development.
Many people believe that this structure is the creation of an extraterrestrial force. They thought it was an alien spaceship landing station.
You can consider it as one of the facts about the Devils Tower. There is a film based on the concept of the tower.
It is a 1997 film named Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It further entrenched this concept among people.
There is another movie of the year 2011 named ‘Paul’ based on this structure. Filmmakers showed the aliens’ relationship with this structure in this movie.
4. Geographical Details
The location of this mysterious structure is in the US state of Wyoming. It is 265 meters or 768 feet high. Its peak is 5,112 feet above sea level.
Geologists believe that the accumulation of magma or lava created it. According to them, molten magma remains stored in cracks in the surface.
The pressure of tectonic plates uplifted the Rocky Mountains 65 million years ago. This pool of magma rose because of this.
Later, wind and rain eroded the surrounding soil, and the frozen magma peaked. Over the decade, Devil’s Tower has become very popular among people.
Thousands of people flock here every year for climbing. As the two movies named this structure, it attracts many visitors. Besides, its natural beauty is worth enjoying.
Can you climb the Devil’s Tower?
Yes, rock climbing is a recreational activity at the Tower. But, the Tower has two major climbing closures throughout the year.
The first one occurs in early April to protect nesting falcons. The second is a voluntary closure in June. It’s to respect American Indian cultural values associated with the Tower site.
Camping Near Devils Tower
The Belle Fourche River Campground is first come, first served. It has no reservations. It has two loops and 46 sites, including 4 ADA sites and three tent-only group sites.
There are water spigots and restrooms, but no hookup area. Large cottonwood trees provide shade to this campsite.
A picnic shelter and tables are also available north of this campground. The occupancy limit is 14 days at this campsite.
A Few Special Facts
- Devil’s Tower is America’s first recognized national monument. On September 24, 1906, President Roosevelt declared it a national monument.
- In 2005, Native Americans demanded the renaming of this peak. But the government did not accept their claim as a lot of history has related to this name.
- Although volcanic rock created this tower, it is not a volcano. There are no volcanoes even close to it.
- Many thought it was hollow inside. There is a secret military base or alien chamber inside. According to the geologist, it is not.
- Its top is almost as high as a football field. But you cannot play football here because of government restrictions.
- Climbers cannot climb here in June. Many Native American religious ceremonies happen during that time. Besides, some roads remain closed in winter for birds to build their nests.
Conclusion
These are some facts about the Devils Tower in the USA. There is no doubt that the creation of this tower is a miracle of nature. Scientists found that it has volcanic materials.
But there is no volcano near this monument. We live on a planet that is full of thousands of mysteries. You may consider it a unique mystery of our great and beloved planet earth.
An iconic structure in the United States of America is this monument. Native Americans see it as a holy location, and many Americans see it as a great road trip destination.