Devils Tower in 1966

We were young.
          Going West.
                    Exploring new vistas.  
                              Enjoying God's creation in Wyoming.
                                 

Geologists agree that Devils Tower was formed by the intrusion of igneous material, but they cannot agree on exactly how that process took place. Geologists Carpenter and Russell studied Devils Tower in the late 19th century and came to the conclusion that the Tower was formed by an igneous intrusion. Later geologists searched for further explanations. Several geologists believe the molten rock comprising the Tower might not have surfaced; other researchers are convinced the tower is all that remains of what once was a large explosive volcano.

 

35mm photo by H. Gene Straatmeyer

 This is a view of the west face of the tower.

35mm photo by H. Gene Straatmeyer

We walked all around this huge monolith. This is the East face.

Devils Tower in geological context. The oval-shaped mesa around the Tower suggests the old volcano's shape. The red rock is the Permian-Triassic Spearfish Formation, and above that is the younger, white Gypsum Springs Formation. Aerial photo, 2010.

 

Thanks to Wikipedia for the information and the aerial shot above.