Devil's Tower National Monument

Devil's Tower in Wyoming.
The natural set used for the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind of Steve Spielberg. 

On the way to the Devil's Tower, we passed by the city of Deadwood in the Black Hills of South Dakota. 

We liked what we saw but didn't stop. A place to tour if we travel again through the Interstate 90. 

Deadwood, South Dakota.
Crossing through Deadwood. 

Then came another stop at the Walmart of Spearfish for supplies and at the Wyoming Visitor Center for travel info. 

Wyoming visitor center in the I-90.
The visitor center in the I-90. 

The Belle Fourche River Campground in Devil's Tower National Monument - the name means "beautiful fork" in French - is at a horseshoe twist of the small waterway. This means that three sides of the camp are surrounded by the river. 

Our campsite facing the Devil's Tower.
Our site facing the tower. 

We got a site for three nights. What a view of the amazing wonder created by magma - even if the specifics are still controversial. 

There was no Devil in this massive rock for the American Indians. For them, it was sort of a home for the bears - even if bears don't come here anymore. 

Cheyenne and Lakota talked of "Bear Lodge", the Arapaho said it was "Bear's Tipi", and the Crow called it "Bear's Home". 

Just after setting up, we headed on a hike to the visitor center through a section of the Red Beds Trail - we plan to do the whole trail tomorrow. 

Hiking in Devil's Tower.
Hike to the visitor center. 

C facing Devil's Tower.
C facing the tower. 

On the way, we stopped by the Wind Circle Sculpture. 

The Wind Circle Sculpture.
A sculpture to frame the tower. 

Close to it, there was a horde of prairie dogs. 

They are cute but beware, they can be infected with the plague. 

(Posted from the phone.)

Check this page to license our photos.


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