Devils Tower
Devils Tower , which is located in northeastern Wyoming , is a butte composed of igneous rock . It towers 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River , 867 feet from base to summit , for a total of 5,112 feet above sea level . Its name came from a misinterpretation of “ Bad God ’ s Tower ,” a native name . Other Native American names for the tower include “ Bear ’ s House ,” “ Bear ’ s Lodge ,” “ Bear ’ s Lair ,” etc . Many legends exist as to how the tower was formed . According the Native American tribes of the Kiowa and Lakota , a group of girls went out to play and were seen by several giant bears , who then gave chase . To escape the bears , the girls climbed atop a rock , fell to their knees and prayed to the Great Spirit to save them . Hearing their prayers , the Great Spirit made the rock rise from the ground so the bears could not reach them . The bears , trying to climb the rock , left deep claw marks in the sides .
The Tower Trail ( 1.3 miles ) winds around the base of the tower . Other trails offer different perspectives , including The Red BedsTrail ( 2.8 miles ), Joyner Ridge Trail ( 1.5 miles ) and the South Side / Valley View Trails (. 6 miles ).
Mato Tipila
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