Devil’s Tower National Monument, WY

Remember the 1977 movie Close Encounters Of The Third Kind? Devil’s Tower? Well, we had to go and see it! 😬 It was a couple of hours drive from our campsite, but so worth it. The tower is in the Black Hills and has trails around the base, along with parks, and a visitor’s center.

Pictures do not do Devil’s Tower any justice. It is absolutely massive and does not look like anything produced by nature.

The monument got it’s name from the Native Americans who called it Mato Tipila, which translates to Bear Rock. The name’s translation was lost during the 1875 Gold Rush and was thought to be Bad God‘s Tower. This then became Devils Tower. 😳😳 And, the name stuck! The grounds are still sacred for over two-dozen Native American tribes and ceremonies are still held here. What an incredible place!

At the base of the tower there was a large field filled with prairie dogs! They were so adorable and very busy. Ha ha! The last photo is one that actually stood still long enough for me to take a photo. 😁