Look closely. You can see the claw marks left by the bear as it tried to climb up the surging column of ground that rose up to protect the fleeing maiden. The indian gods had protected her from attack of the savage beast and she rested safely atop until it was safe to descend. That’s indian lore surrounding Devils Tower; its distinct character cries out for definition.
If Mt. Rushmore was out-of-the-way then Devils Tower was in the middle of nowhere. However, the logic in my head went something like this … “Will I ever have a better opportunity to visit this site?” The answer wasn’t likely to be yes so I took the detour. I visited the first-ever National Monument.
As you first see it in the distance there’s no mistaking where your’e headed.
The natural forces that caused this upsurge were quite distinct. The result is a mysterious rock formation. Around its base is a path along the treeline, great for walking to see the tower from all sides. While that was certainly enough for me, as you can see in these pictures, it wasn’t enough for everyone.
Below are four pictures of people climbing the tower. Apparently it’s a huge pastime with people climbing all year around and in every type of weather. Each picture is of different climbers. The insert magnifies the people/person. On a beautiful day it seems people climb out of the woodwork and to the slopes to ascend to where the maiden may still rest.
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