Devils Tower National Monument

July 2017 - photos by Eric

Previous to this day, I visited Mount Rushmore with my son who lives in South Dakota. I slept in the Black Hills, on the side of the road, in the back of my Ford Explorer. The next day I went to Belle Fourche and took a left onto hi-way 24. Just in case you don’t know, Belle Fourche is the center of the United States.

From Belle Fourche it is only a few miles to Wyoming. I have determined that the Universe made South Dakota and Wyoming extra cold in the winter, to scare people away. Once you see how beautiful it is you will want to move there.

I approached the Devils Tower from the east and it can be seen from quite a distance. I kept my eye open for anything extra-terrestrial…but nothing happened.

The Devils Tower has a lot of history dating back pre-historically. Theodore Roosevelt established it as the first National Monument in 1906. It stands 600 feet tall and is a sacred religious site for over 20 American Indian tribes of the Great Plains. In 1999 the United States Court of Appeals upheld the National Parks accommodations of the American Indian religious practices, a victory for the American Indian.

For those who like to hike, there are two paths, short and long. The short path is 1.3 miles, paved and wide enough for strollers and the like. The longer hike is a 2.8-mile loop and is on uneven ground. This is a very special place and a must see if you are within 2000 miles…or so.

You can learn more about this area by visiting the National Park Service website.