First National Monument- Devils Tower

It was a bit of a drive but glad we went to see Devils Tower, Wyoming.  Wow - our nations first national monument designated in 1906 by Teddy Roosevelt. There are different theories about how it it was formed but consensus is volcanic activity creating rare  phonolite porphyry made from cooling magma.    

We first spotted it 14 miles away and it kept getting more impressive as we got closer. We spotted two climbers midway up the lower columns. Crazy people. 

Indians view it as sacred ground and prayer clothes can be found hanging from trees.   

Prairie dogs can be found everywhere. 

We saw the center of the nation exit with a monument you can stand on to be smack in the middle of the US but we had visiting Deadwood on our list -  you know gold rush- calamity Jane and Bill Hickok... bars and gambling- which is not our thing. We should have picked the center of the nation.