Devil’s Tower located in Wyoming is one of American’s most iconic natural landmarks.
The site has a huge American Indian cultural significance with unique stories from various tribes. Below is the story I was must familiar with from Wikipedia
According to the traditional beliefs of Native American peoples, the Kiowa and Lakota, a group of girls went out to play and were spotted by several giant bears, who began to chase them. In an effort to escape the bears, the girls climbed atop a rock, fell to their knees, and prayed to the Great Spirit to save them. Hearing their prayers, the Great Spirit made the rock rise from the ground towards the heavens so that the bears could not reach the girls. The bears, in an effort to climb the rock, left deep claw marks in the sides, which had become too steep to climb. Those are the marks which appear today on the sides of Devils Tower. When the girls reached the sky, they were turned into the stars of the Pleiades.
In addition to the cultural stories, understanding the geology of how it was made over the course of million of years from erosion makes it truly unique.
We did the Tower trail and recommend it to see all angles this beautiful monument.
- 1.8 mile (2.9 km) out and back that is paved. This includes the 1.3-mile loop trail
- Trail Access: visitor center parking lot or Red Beds Trail
- Stretches of moderate elevation change
- Offers close-up views of the Tower and boulder field, as well as sweeping views of the surrounding landscape
- Most popular hike in the park, can get very crowded
Jumping into photos as we hiked the Tower Trail around
On the way we stopped and seen the prairie dog town as well
Visiting Devils Tower is a memorable experience that combines beautiful views along with some fascinating history. Whether you hike the trails, observe climbers, or simply take in the amazing views, it’s a stop well worth making on any trip through the American West.