From Rapid City, we took a day trip to Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, a sight you may recognize from the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
The drive was gorgeous, and we were surprised at the beautiful red rocks surrounding the area. We arrived late in the day, and unfortunately the Visitor’s Center was closed. We walked the paved, 1.3 mile trail that took us all the way around the tower, enjoying the nice views and watching in awe as some brave souls rock-climbed up the side on ropes.
This was the first of many times that we would see rock climbers at a National Park, and we were fascinated. As some climbers passed us, we were able to see all of the equipment they carried. At this particular National Monument, a climbing permit was required, something I’m told is becoming more and more common.
As we left the Tower at dusk, we were lucky to witness all of the deer grazing on the countryside. Several times deer ran across the road in front of the car, making driving a little bit scary. But, we had never witnessed such large groups of deer like we did that night. It was quite a sight. Devils Tower was definitely worth the trip.
For more information, visit Devils Tower National Monument.
