Our first stop in Wyoming was Devils Tower National Monument. We nearly skipped this monument because we thought it would be too far of a detour but we are so glad we didn’t miss out on this on of a kind geological wonder! This 900 foot tall geological anomaly was formed when magma pushed its way upwards through other rock layers then cooled while still underground. Millions of years of erosion of the sedimentary rock exposed Devils Tower to how we see it today.
Joyner Ridge Trail, Red Beds Trail and Tower Trail
We explored the monument via the Joyner Ridge, Red Beds and Tower trails which amounted to a little over 7 miles. This loop around the park allowed us to view the tower and surrounding areas from afar and up close along along all 360 degrees of its perimeter.
Prairie Dog Town
When we first drove into the park we saw dozens of prairie dogs coming out of there homes for some morning sun. On our way out of the park we were able to get a closer look at them and found them to be more cute than we thought they would be!
Takeaways
This geological mystery is inspiring and made us stop to think about how short our lives are in relation to the story of earth. We hope to return one day to climb the tower and experience it up close and personal.
Thanks for reading!
-Alan and Ashby
on cloud combs 