On our way to Kincaid and on the way home we visited a number of National Parks. One of these was Devil's Tower National Monument in WY. I was not sure what to expect, but it was on Sandee's bucket list and I am always up to some place I have never been before. Our first glance of the tower was from miles away. I knew I had seen this rock before but just could not recall, that is when Sandee reminded me it was in the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". OOOOO yea, now I remember.
As we entered the park the first thing we see, other than the tower, is a Prairie Dog town. They are all over the place and you have to be carful not to run over the little guys because they might run out onto the road. We made it pass the guardians of the rock with no casualties. As we drove up and around towards the tower it dawned on me how massive it was. By the time we arrived at the visitor center I was silent, I felt as I was entering a very special and sacred place. Seems I was not the only one as all three of us spoke not a word.
Once we parked the truck and craned our neck skyward we had a sense of reverence of the place. Despite ALL the people who were also visiting it seemed to me to be the most quite place on earth I had ever visited. I can only describe it in terms a sailor might understand. Imagine being in the middle of the Atlantic or Pacific ocean, no one else is around, the sun is slowly setting along the horizon and not a sound anywhere to be had. That is what it felt like to me, not a scary sort of feeling, just one of reverence.
What I thought would be a half hour visit turned into almost a three hour visit. My mother in law was also inspired as she and I sat on the park bench just staring at the climbers make the ascent to the top of the tower. Several folks that day were making their attempt to get to the top. We watched them with my binoculars and pondered what those making the climb were thinking and us thinking what it would be like to be on the top. Sandee and I walked the trails around the tower and took a few pictures.
Native American's hold this site very sacred. The Plains tribes all have their own story on how this tower came to be. And today's scientist also debate how and when it was formed. But there is no doubt after our visit that the site is scared, it just gives off this energy that one can not explain.
The one story I like and choose to think happened holds that the tower arose from the ground after seven sisters were chased by a bear. They climbed to the top of a rock and prayed to the creator save them from the bear. Suddenly the rock began to climb up out of the earth. As the mountain kept climbing towards the sky the bear kept trying to reach them. One can see the claw marks from the bear on the side of the tower as it attempted to reach the sisters. The bear never made it to them and they were saved. I know there is more to the story but I do not recall it now.
I know there is some other explanation as to why this formation occurred, but for me the Native American stories are so much richer and are worthy of preserving and learning from. As for us, this is one of those places that is worth a return trip, over and over. We are hoping to revisit this summer (2013).
The Tower a few miles away
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