However, this theory has also been largely discounted because the rock that makes up Devil’s Tower is not volcanic in origin. One theory is that the tower is the result of volcanic activity, but this theory has largely been discounted because there is no evidence of volcanic ash or other materials associated with volcanic eruptions in the area.Īnother theory is that the tower is the remains of a volcanic plug, which is a solidified magma chamber that once fed a volcano. There are several theories that have been proposed to explain how Devil’s Tower was formed. While the exact details of how Devil’s Tower was formed are still debated among geologists, the magma intrusion theory is widely accepted as the most likely explanation for the tower’s unique geology. Over time, this erosion exposed the columns, creating the distinctive tower shape that we see today. These fractures created deep vertical cracks, which allowed the overlying sedimentary rocks to be eroded away more quickly than the harder phonolite porphyry. The columns at Devil’s Tower formed as the magma cooled and contracted, causing the rock to fracture in a hexagonal pattern. The columns are hexagonal in shape and can reach up to six feet in diameter. The magma that formed Devil’s Tower is made up of a type of igneous rock known as phonolite porphyry, which is characterized by its unique columnar jointing pattern.
Over millions of years, the overlying sedimentary rocks were slowly eroded away by the forces of wind, water, and ice, exposing the hardened magma. Instead, it cooled and solidified beneath the Earth’s surface, forming a large igneous intrusion known as a laccolith. Approximately 50 million years ago, a mass of molten rock (magma) was forced upward from deep within the Earth’s crust, but never reached the surface. The tower was also designated as the first National Monument in the United States in 1906, in recognition of its unique geological and cultural significance.ĭevil’s Tower was formed by a process known as magma intrusion. Today, Devil’s Tower is a popular destination for rock climbers, hikers, and tourists, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
It was named “Devil’s Tower” in 1875 by Colonel Richard Irving Dodge, who led a geological survey of the area, although the name is not believed to have any spiritual or cultural significance to the Native American tribes who have long revered the site. The tower was first documented by European explorers in 1833, when a party led by American naturalist and explorer William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame) noted its presence in their journals. The tower rises 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River, and is a sacred site for many Native American tribes in the area, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho peoples. Devil’s Tower, also known as Bear Lodge Butte, is a unique geological feature located in the Black Hills region of northeastern Wyoming, USA.
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