Visitors to Wyoming tend to spend their time in the Western half of the state, exploring Yellowstone and Grand Teton, visiting Cody for the Wild West shows, or searching through Fremont County ghost towns for signs of the past. If you head to the East for your adventure, you’ll encounter one of the most fascinating places in the planet – the Devils Tower monument in the Black Hills of Wyoming.

The remarkable sight of Devils Tower, a monolith jutting more than 1,200 feet above the Belle Fourche River, is a signature sight in Wyoming that looks like its from another planet.
Flickr / Doc Searls
Devils Tower, or Bears Lodge, is one of the most culturally significant sites for the Native Americans in the region, and the tale of how this monolith came to be is an oft-repeated legend.
Flickr / Ruby T.
The story goes that two children were out playing when a bear began to hunt them.
Flickr / David Denicolo
They were in danger, so the Great Spirit or Creator intervened to save their lives. The enormous rock rose up underneath of them, while the bear fruitlessly clawed at the sides.
The scientific explanation for the formation of Devils Tower is debated, but most people agree that the tower is the core of a volcano that eroded way over millions of years.
Flickr / Alex Weimer
Devils Tower was the first United States national monument, established on September 24, 1906, by President Theodore Roosevelt.
Flickr / PictureWendy

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The Tower gained international attention when it was the focus of Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Flickr / Jeremy Thies
In this alien movie, one man is drawn to the tower in his dreams, and eventually it is the sight of an alien landing.
The 1,400 acres around the monument are open for hikers, and you can camp nearby. Staying in the shadow of this monolith is a remarkable experience.
Flickr / Jerry and Pat Donaho
Every year, about 4,000 rock climbers make their way to the top of the tower. It's a difficult climb, but it is one of the most unique in the world.
Flickr / Cristian Collins
Today, the area around the Devils Tower monument offers a trading post, campgrounds, and restaurants that appeal to visitors and locals alike.
Flickr / Miaomiao WANG
A visit to Devils Tower is sure to be an experience that leaves an impression of you, whether you believe in the legends or you just appreciate unique geology.
Flickr / David Kingham
Anyone who spends time at the Devils Tower monument walks away with a feeling of something larger at play - whether that be a legendary spirit or an otherworldly force - and this is truly one of the most special places in the Cowboy State.

You can read more about the various Native American legends regarding Bears Lodge here. Each story is fascinating and provides a glimpse into the culture of people who first called this land home.

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Devils Tower, WY 82714, USA