Trip through Bighorn National Forest / Devils Tower Wyoming (8/5 - 8/6)

On 8/5 we left Cody and headed East to Devils Tower. The trip took us through the Bighorn National Forest. The last section of this ride was a little rough but very beautiful. The elevation change to get over the Bighorn Mountains is up 6000 feet on the west side then down about 5000 feet on the east side. The road was a little windy but a drop dead beautiful drive. We stopped for lunch at one of the brake check stations near the top of the mountain and watched a Wyoming cowboy moving some cattle at the edge of the woods.

Devils Tower is not a town it's just a couple of stores and a campground in front of the gate to the nations first National Monument. We had a campsite in the back of the campground with a view of the Tower. This is the filming site of the Spielberg movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind starring Richard Dreyfuss. The guy at the campground told us that Spielberg sat on the ground in their parking lot for two hours then said this is the place for the movie. The money that the campground got for the movie helped them get their Good Sam Franchise.

There was nothing quiet about this place while we were here. This is one of the prime tourist destinations for the Sturgis crew. The second day we were here there were at least 200 motorcycles in the parking lot and the rumble of the motorcycles was a constant sound.

We used our "Old Peoples Pass" and went to the mountain on the second day. It's a short ride up the mountain. We went to the welcome center then took a walk around the mountain. You can see the different sides of the mountain and some of the 5000 people that climb the mountain every year. We saw about eight people climbing and we ran into two guys who were on their way to the base for a climb.

There are three theories on how the mountain was actually formed but all agree that it was molten magma. The tower rises 867 feet from its base and stands 1267 feet above the river below. 5112 feet above sea level. The original formation was about 50 million years ago. Erosion has brought this solid structure up to the surface.

Devils tower is a pretty place. The location was made our first National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. It's a little off the beaten path, but I would also add this to your bucket list if you are in this part of the country.

Life is Good!!

The Bighorn National Forest.

Keep an eye on that white rock.

Going Up!

This tells the story about the work the CCC did in this forest. It is a beautifully kept area with wooden fences, great signage, and many recreation areas.

One of the recreation areas.

Our lunch stop near the top. Get along little doggie!!

Wasn't as bad as it looks. This was the first of two signs.

Going down.

Our first view of Devils Tower as we were coming in.

Just a small group.

At the store first day.

On the walk in. There is an Indian Legend that the marks on the mountain were made by a great bear trying to get to the children who had climbed the mountain to get away from him. It may be true.

This climber was only up about 200 feet.

The beautiful valley from the base of the mountain.

This is an Indian Prayer offering. One of many at the base of the mountain.

This guy was near the top.

The sky doesn't get much prettier.

These were the two climbers heading up to the mountain.

Love that sky.

This is a designated Prairie Dog Refuge. There are thousands of them down in the valley below the mountain.

Our home in Devils Tower.

The red rock is along the river.

Camera selfie. Is that a spaceship in the back?