Devils Tower National Monument was the first declared United States National Monument, established on September 24, 1906, by President Theodore Roosevelt.Anchoring the northeast corner of Wyoming is the country’s first national monument—Devils Tower. A laccolithic butte that is made up of igneous rocks, Devils Tower is a jaw-dropping geological feature that rises 867 feet above Wyoming’s rolling prairies.
While Devils Tower National Monument garnered significant attention as the backdrop in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the tower is sacred to many Northern Plains Indian tribes, as well as the Kiowa Tribe, who made their homes in the Black Hills region. With oral storytelling and a history that dates back thousands of years, today American Indian tribes continue to hold sacred ceremonies at the tower, including sweat lodges and sun dances. With a rich history that combines the country’s First Nations with cowboys, rock climbers and incredible night skies, Devils Tower is a must-visit destination in Wyoming
