A Sacred Landmark Devils Tower rises 1,267 feet (386 m) above the Belle Fourche River, and features the world's largest example of columnar jointing. A sacred place to over 20 Native American tribes, the Tower is also known as Bear Lodge.

Devils Tower, located in Wyoming, holds the distinction of being the very first United States National Monument, established by President Theodore Roosevelt on September 24, 1906. It was protected under the newly passed Antiquities Act primarily due to its extraordinary geological significance and its deep cultural importance to Native American tribes. Geologically, it is a stunning "laccolith" or igneous intrusion—an ancient volcanic feature composed of rare phonolite porphyry that cooled into striking hexagonal columns. Its sheer 867-foot vertical rise above the surrounding Belle Fourche River valley makes it a unique landmark visible for miles. Beyond its physical beauty, the tower is a sacred site for over 20 Northern Plains tribes, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Kiowa, who have various oral traditions and legends explaining its creation (often involving a giant bear). The National Monument status ensures that this "monolithic wonder" is preserved from industrial development or mining, allowing for scientific study, recreational climbing, and the continuation of traditional indigenous ceremonies that have taken place at the base of the tower for centuries.