Google+ talkinginallcaps@gmail.com
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Talking in ALL CAPS

  • Food
    • 52 Salads Recipe Index
    • 52 Soups Recipe Index
  • Photography
  • Travel
    • Travel
    • US National Parks
    • Washington DC
    • Disneyland
  • Thoughts
    • Thoughts
    • Motherhood
    • Parenting
  • Calgary
  • About Me

Devils Tower National Monument

June 28, 2011 by danawyyc Leave a Comment

The Devils Tower of Wyoming is the first US National Monument. It was also our first stop after leaving Yellowstone. It is a natural geological feature – actually the core of a volcano, which became exposed after years of erosion. The Devils Tower is composed of 6 sided columns that are slowly falling apart, creating the boulder field at the base of the tower. This tower was featured in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Yes, it is a real place, no it is not hollow.

DSC_0088-1

Passport Stamp: Inside the Visitor Centre at the base of the Tower (open mid-spring through fall)
Accommodations: Not at the Monument. But you can stay at nearby Hulett.
Approximate Time: 30 minutes if you’re just stopping to look, 1.5 – 2 hours if you want to walk the 2km path around the tower too. There is a longer path (8km) if you are interested as well.
Worth the Trip: Absolutely. It is a really interesting site. But I probably wouldn’t go again until my kid(s) would be old enough to remember.
Jr. Ranger Program: Available in the Visitor Centre (you will need approximately 1 hr to complete it)

IMG_6656

Setting out on our walk around the tower.

DSC_0121

Can you see Gordie and my husband sitting out on the boulders?

DSC_0123-1

See? There they are. You can climb a short ways into the boulder field but if you want to get closer or climb the tower (yes you can actually climb the tower) you have to register at the Visitor Centre.

DSC_0140

We saw someone climbing up the tower while we were there. The first people who were recorded to have climbed the tower built a huge ladder to get to the top. Apparently you can still see pieces of it up there, but we weren’t able to identify them.

DSC_0173

After Gordie had climbed up onto the boulder field with his daddy he wanted to climb every boulder he came across (of which there were a lot).

DSC_0136

The area is considered sacred to the natives of the area who tie prayer mats and and other items in the trees.

DSC_0191       DSC_0201-1

White tailed deer, mule deer, rabbits and porcupines live in the area along with many birds. Gordie really enjoyed looking for the chipmunks we saw along the way too. Also, watch for snakes! We ran across the one above (which it turns out is actually just a bull snake).

Stay tuned for Mount Rushmore! And if you missed my series on Yellowstone National Park, you can find it here. You may also want to take a look at my tips about taking your kids to US National Parks/ Monuments.

Filed Under: travel, US National Parks Tagged With: Road Trips, South Dakota, Traveling with Kids, US National Parks

Previous Post: « Wildlife in Yellowstone–Yellowstone #6
Next Post: Mount Rushmore National Memorial »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

About Me

I'm an experiential playground expert and mom to three young kids. I live with my husband in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. When I'm not looking after people, I'm reading all the YA fiction I can get my hands on and am attempting to learn photography. My laundry-folding suffers due to more interesting pursuits.

You can also find me over at:
12 Great Salads to Take to a Potluck or Feed a Big Group - talkinginallcaps.com

11 Great Salads to Take to a Potluck or Feed a Big Group

Sriracha tomato soup - easy meals - talkinginallcaps.com

12 Easy Meals That are Great for One or Two (or more!)

Asian Lentil and Mango Salad 3

Salad #49 – Asian Lentil and Mango Salad

Kale, Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Salad #42 – Kale, Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Disneyland Photography Tips - 11 Tips for Getting Great Photos Your Family Will Treasure

Disneyland Photography Tips – 11 Tips for Getting Great Photos of Your Disneyland Vacation

11 Tips for Taking a Toddler and a Preschooler to Disneyland

Categories

Archives

Footer

Copyright © 2025 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress