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National Parks Of The American Rockies
Devil's Tower, or Matho Thipila ("Bear Lodge") in the Lakota language, is a massive basaltic intrusion in northeast Wyoming. Standing alone above the surrounding forest, it's an unforgettable landmark. In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt declared the area the nation's first national monument.
While the tower is the main attraction, the surrounding forest holds some interest as well. This small flower is unusual for its color: green is quite rare as a flower color, since insects can't tell the flowers from the leaves. Often these plants are pollinated by other means such as the wind.
Another, more common plant is the thistle, which is a hardy pioneer in disturbed areas such as trailsides. But being a common plant doesn't diminish its beautiful color.
The tower has a different shape from the north, resembling a bison horn. The yellow flowers in the foreground are another common species, sweet clover.
This is the seed head of a brome grass. Each of the slender spines is called an awn and provides the seeds with a means of dispersal, either by catching the wind or snagging a hiker's sock.
The month of June has been set aside by the park service as a time for Native Americans to perform their traditional rites at this sacred site. The prayer dome seen below the tower at right is decorated with small cloth packets like the one pictured at left. The tower attracts climbers from around the world but they voluntarily leave the tower unclimbed for the month.