Devils Tower, Natural monolith in Crook County, United States.
Devils Tower is a monolith of igneous rock in Crook County, Wyoming, that rises 386 meters (1,267 feet) above the surrounding plain. Its surface shows vertical columns of phonolite that fracture into hexagonal patterns, giving the rock the appearance of a giant organ.
President Theodore Roosevelt declared the tower the first national monument of the United States on September 24, 1906. This decision created a precedent for protecting geological formations through federal authority, long before the National Park Service came into existence.
Several Indigenous tribes hold the site sacred and ask visitors to avoid climbing in June when ceremonies take place there. Near the base, you often see cloth bundles hanging in trees, which serve as prayer offerings and form part of ongoing religious practices.
The loop trail around the base takes about an hour and offers views from all directions, while climbers must register at the visitor center before attempting any ascent. The best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon, when the light highlights the columns clearly and fewer people are around.
William Rogers and Willard Ripley completed the first documented climb on Independence Day 1893 using a wooden ladder they drove into cracks. Parts of that ladder remain visible on the southwest face today, recalling the daring method they used.
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