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This remarkable natural formation is the Worst-Name Devil’s Tower. However, this is a great geological formation. An army colonel gave it the designation while passing through this part of northeast Wyoming in 1875.
Geology
Devil’s Tower is made of igneous rock, the Phonolite porphyry. It was formed as magma or lava cooled rapidly in the contact near the surface. As the magma that formed Devil’s Tower cooled, it condensed into columns. Most of the columns that make up Devil’s Tower are hexagonal.
Most geologists agree that Devil’s Tower is an igneous intrusion, a place where the magma from the Earth’s mantle intruded into the Earth’s surface. Devil’s Tower was not visible for millions of years, but after years of erosion by water and wind, the landscape slowly emerged to the surface.
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The landscape continues to erode, worn away by the wind, water, and other geological factors. The tower is eroding very rapidly. The base of the formation is cluttered with scree, rubble, boulders, and fragments of columns that have broken off the tower.
Tower structure
The tower has a flat top covering 0.6 hectares and fluted sides. It is 264 meters high as measured from its base and 386 meters as measured from the Belle Fourche River valley. Its top has an elevation of 1,558 meters above sea level.
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The tower’s starring role in the film ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’. Director Steven Spielberg set the climax of his alien-encounter movie at Devil’s Tower. Many Native Americans value this landmark as a holy site. About 20 Indian tribes claim some kind of cultural or religious connection to the tower. The month of June is a particularly important time when many individuals visit sacred sites to conduct religious activities.
Visitors can hike along eight miles of nature trails near the monument. The most popular is 2 km, the paved circuit around the massive rock formation. All climbers must register with park authorities and check in after their climb. Local guides can help you with any equipment or instruction you require. Devils Tower National Monument is located off Wyoming State Route 24, which is accessed via US Route 14. The nearest airport to the tower is the Gillette County Airport.
