The Magnificent Monadnock
Keep reading to learn what a monadnock is.
Devils Tower is located in the northeast corner of Wyoming in the USA. The tower was formed about 40 million years ago when lava from the earth’s centre spread horizontally below and erupted through a weak spot in the earth’s crust. This would form what would appear to be a small mountain. Over millions of years, erosion took away the soil, leaving only the tower of magna, which has cooled and turned to rock.
The facts
- The tower is 867 feet (264 metres) tall
- The top is flat with an area of 1.5 acres (0.6 hectare)
- The proper name of the monument is Devils Tower, not Devil’s Tower according to the rules of grammar. When the monument park was named, the apostrophe was accidentally omitted, and the word without the apostrophe has been the official name ever since.
A National Monument
President Theodore Roosevelt declared the area around Devils Tower a National Monument in 1906. A National Monument is similar to a National Park but with a slightly lower status. They receive less funding than a National Park. The president of the USA can create a National Monument, but a National Park can only be created by Congress.
Devils Tower National Monument has an area of 1,347 acres (545 ha). There is an admission fee of $25 per vehicle. (Actually, it is more like an exit fee as you pay on the way out, not when you enter. At least when I was there. Perhaps that is only at the busiest times to prevent a lineup on the highway, So the lineup is inside the park instead.)
There are no restaurants in the park. However, there is one just outside the gate. So eat before you go in or bring a picnic lunch.
What’s on the top?
The area on the top of Devils Tower is kind of barren, but there is grass, cactus, and flowers. There are birds, chipmunks, mice, woodrats and other wildlife including snakes. I took it for granted that birds would be there, but I was amazed to learn that snakes were also there. Many people climb the tower every year.
What to do there
Photography
Here are a few photography tips for the Devils Tower.
- Get some photos from a distance, not just ones close to the tower (Like the one above).
- Place the tower to the left or right of the photo. It looks better than in the centre.
- Photograph the tower at sunset when it appears to be a gold colour. During the day it is grey.
Hiking
Besides taking photos, the most popular activity at Devils Tower is the hike around the tower’s base. This trail is 1.3 miles long and takes about one hour to complete on average.
Watch for snakes. Bull Snakes are common at the monument. They look like rattlesnakes but are not venomous, although they could probably give you a nasty bite if you molest them. Leave them alone, and they will not bother you.
There are other trails in the monument, further away from the tower, if you want to take a longer hike. The trail around the tower is often crowded, whereas only a few people hike the other trails.
Climb the Tower
It is permissible to climb the tower if you are capable. You must register at the park office before climbing.
Night Sky Viewing
Devils Tower is far from any town, so there are few electric lights. It is a great place to view the stars. There are ranger-led night sky walks where the park ranger will explain the constellations to you, or you can marvel at the beauty on your own without going for a walk.
Camping
There is a campground at the monument, a KOA campground just outside the gate, and another short drive down the highway to the south called Devils Tower View. The campground inside the monument has no facilities, and the KOA is expensive. We stayed at Tower View. It is an excellent place with plenty of space for large RVs and a good restaurant and gift shop.
A Sacred Place
Devils Tower is a sacred place for the local Native Americans. You might see bundles of multi-coloured cloth tied in the trees. These are prayer cloths put there by the Indigenous people during their prayer ceremonies each June. They ask the people not to climb the tower during June, but this is optional.
What is a Monadnock
A Monadnock is an isolated hill of bedrock standing conspicuously above the general level of the surrounding area.