"Devil's Tower Wyoming"

   After several hours traversing expansive fields of amber and brown grass, the road gradually ascends into the pine-covered hills of the Pahá Sápa. Upon rounding a bend and reaching the summit of a hill, Devil’s Tower emerges prominently on the horizon. This initial glimpse of the monument leaves a lasting impression and stimulates interest in its history.

   Devil’s Tower holds significant cultural value as a sacred site for Native American tribes in the region, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, and other Plains tribes. These groups possess various oral traditions relating to its formation. One Lakota story recounts seven girls being rescued from a bear by the Great Spirit, ultimately becoming the seven stars of the Big Dipper constellation.

   Though I intended to observe the Big Dipper above the Tower each evening, dense wildfire smoke obscured the night sky. The mornings, however, offered rewarding experiences—sitting at camp with coffee, watching the full moon set behind the tower as the sunrise bathed the landscape in warm light.