A Wonderfully Close Encounter: Devils Tower Nat'l Monument 10/17/09

Among his many virtues, Theodore Roosevelt knew how to make a splash. In 1906, the President, always one to revel in the power of his office, declared Devils Tower in Wyoming's northeastern corner the nation's first National Monument. It was a wise choice for any number of reasons, the most obvious being its utter originality as a natural wonder. Drive the entire nation from stem to stern, and it's unlikely you'll see anything so simultaneously odd and magnificent jetting out of the earth. A mighty 867 feet tall from base to summit, Devils Tower is, as the scientists might say, an igneous intrusion, with the sedimentary rock eroding away over time to produce what we see today. It is not, as some believe, an old volcano. To come upon its glory is truly spectacular, as it appears to have been plopped down in the middle of nowhere, defying the surrounding landscape to compete for attention. Close Encounters of the Third Kind surely made it famous for an entirely new generation of travelers, but it stands on its own as one of the park service's most worthy destinations.

We had planned on a visit to the monument years before, but a fire prevented us from reaching the area. Almost a decade later, we finally arrived, and it was well worth the wait. This is unquestionably one of those times where a mere picture fails to capture the grandeur of the actual object in question. One is merely content to stare at Devils Tower from afar, especially when the sky reaches such a brilliant state of blue. Our October day was altogether serene, and as we drove through the gate, we had no idea our awe would multiply with each subsequent step.

The visitor center, unfortunately, is a complete waste of time, as it is cramped, barren, and lacking anything by way of real information. Why such a popular spot lacks a world-class facility is beyond me, though perhaps one could argue that a bustling visitor center is often a mask for a site that isn't worth a damn. Move along and get to what you came here for, right? So after acquiring our passport stamp (and unexpected bonus picture stamp), we headed to the Tower Trail, which featured a rather steep incline at the outset. It was a test of our shabby knees and frail physiques, and not at all the proper way to begin a hike clocking in at just over a mile. We figured it had to level out, but please, NPS, keep an eye out for the fatties when you construct these trails.

After taking a breather, we walked on through a stunning collection of rocks and trees, which gave off the proper rustic feel. The temperature could not have been more perfect, and every so often, a break in the trees would reveal yet another part of the tower before us. The best way to walk this trail is to keep your eyes ahead, glance briefly around you, then pause and look up. It's that beautiful constant that never leaves your side for the entirety of your stay. There's also a side trail to the "rock pile" (the rock is Phonolite porphyry, similar in composition to granite) section of the monument, though none of the tower's columns have fallen in over 200 years. Still, it's a powerful reminder that at one point in the future, Devils Tower will be no more. We will meet the same fate, of course, but then again, few of us will ever be as interesting as this monument.

Believe it or not, the NPS actually lets people climb Devils Tower, and as we walked along the trail, we noticed a few brave (foolish?) souls pushing and pulling their way up. Admittedly, I would like to see what's up there, especially given the rumors about alien visits and the like. Even the Indian tribes have their own theory about the tower, whose "scratches" along the sides were believed to have been caused by a giant bear trying to attack a few stray females that had made their way to the top. Silly to be sure, but no more so than those who, because they consider geology and other earth sciences to be up for debate, would argue that something like Devils Tower was formed over a long weekend by an angry deity. The monument came to be as all natural wonders do - without intent or purpose, simply process - and it's a testament to man's imagination that we can (and do) find it beautiful. To date, it's still one of my favorites.

FINAL RATING

10/10