Devil's Tower National Monument

Devils Tower National Monument spans a total area of approximately 1,350 acres of land that is located almost 33 miles northeast of Moorcroft, a town in Crook County, Wyoming. The national monument is also about 52 miles southwest of Belle Fourche in South Dakota and can be accessed using SD 34 or WY 24. 

If you are traveling from Sundance, Wyoming you can access the park by driving 27 miles along US 14. The park is governed by the National Park Service (NPS) and was declared a national monument on September 24, 1906. The central attraction at the national monument is the Devils Tower which is also called the Bear Lodge Butte. 

This is a laccolithic butte made up of an almost vertical-sided igneous rock located in the Black Hills. The Bear Lodge Butte which rises to 1,267 feet above the meandering Belle Fourche River is the country's first national monument. The Devils Tower also has historical/religious and cultural significance. 

The historical/religious significance is due to the fact that it is the place where northern plains tribes had a sacred site of worship. The cultural significance is mainly due to the fact that it is the site where the filming of the 1977 classic movie ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ was held. 

There are also recreational attractions to the place. Some of the recreational activities that visitors can enjoy at the park include hiking, camping, and rock climbing. There are several conveniences at the park which include a museum, picnic area, visitor center, campground, restrooms, and self-guided tours. 

Dogs and dog owners are allowed into the Devils Tower National Monument as long as the dogs are on a leash and as long as they are kept well-behaved. For example, it is expected that dog owners will immediately clean up after their dog and dispose of the solid waste properly.