Devils Tower is a natural formation located within the Black Hills on the northern edge of Wyoming. The stark, towering edifice stands over 1,000 feet above the surrounding territory, making it visible for miles around. It currently falls under the stewardship of the U.S. government, which has declared the Tower a National Monument. The surrounding parkland covers about 1,300 acres and sees about 400,000 visitors annually.
Devils Tower held an important place in the folklore of local Native Americans. Over 20 different tribes--including Cheyenne, Blackfoot, Crow and Lakota--ascribed some meaning to the Tower. They would perform ceremonies such as vision quests, funerals and offerings to the gods there, as well as using it in a number of myths and legends. Many tribes continue to practice such rituals at Devils Tower today.
White men first discovered Devils Tower in 1859, during Captain William Raynolds' survey of the Rocky Mountains. The U.S. Geological Survey came along in 1875--led by Colonel Richard Dodge, who first coined the Tower's name--and in 1892, the federal government designated the area a forest reserve. In 1906, Teddy Roosevelt made the park a National Monument--the first site ever to receive such classification.
In 1941, Devils Tower witnessed one of the most bizarre incidents in its history when George Hopkins parachuted to the top of it without the park's permission. He intended to climb down using a rope that he had brought, but the rope wasn't long enough and he was stuck. Rescue efforts took six days and ended when climber Jack Durrance led a rescue team to the top of the Tower.
Climbing the Tower remains a popular activity, undertaken by several thousand visitors every year. Climbers must register before attempting their climb, and have a number of popular routes to choose from (including the Durrance and Wiessner Routes). Climbers are discouraged from making attempts during the month of June, which is set aside in observance of the Tower's importance to Native Americans. The park contains no rescue team, so climbers are expected to be as self-sufficient as possible.
The enduring image of Devils Tower in popular culture probably stems from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," the 1977 Steven Spielberg film about visitors from outer space. The Tower served as the landing site for the aliens' ship, and images of it were planted in the minds of a number of humans as an invitation to join them. Only one man--Roy Neary, played by Richard Dreyfuss--actually makes it to the Tower and steps onboard the alien craft.
