The Devil's Tower

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

Matt reveals his dream to visit Devil's Tower and the mysterious legends surrounding this unique Wyoming monument.

The episode begins with casual banter between hosts Adam and Matt, including a Patreon promotion and a PSA about bad driving. Matt introduces Devil's Tower as the topic, sparked by his love for American West landmarks. Adam provides geographical details: it stands 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River in Crook County, Wyoming, with a summit the size of a football field. The hosts explain that Devil's Tower, also known as Bear Lodge, is sacred to many Native American tribes like the Lakota and Cheyenne, who conduct ceremonies there and oppose recreational climbing, especially in June. The name 'Devil's Tower' originated from a 1870s mistranslation by Lieutenant Colonel Richard Dodge, and tribes advocate for renaming it. Scientifically, Devil's Tower is igneous rock formed from magma that cooled underground, with debates between models like the volcanic neck or laccolith theories. Erosion over millions of years exposed the formation, and columnar jointing creates its distinctive vertical grooves. The hosts share indigenous oral histories, such as the Sioux legend of two boys saved from a giant bear by the tower rising, and the Kiowa tale of seven maidens becoming the Pleiades. They then delve into conspiracy theories, including the idea that Devil's Tower is a petrified silicon tree stump from the Devonian period, possibly harvested by alien beings. A debunked Facebook post about a giant root system is mentioned, along with a recent YouTube video by Scott Whitehead claiming hidden Egyptian entrances. The episode concludes by reflecting on the tower's mystique, its role in pop culture, and encouraging listener engagement through their Facebook group.

As heard by us

A relaxed, thoughtful visit to Devil's Tower and the sacred histories connected to it.

Devil's Tower sits at the crossroads of scientific explanation, popular culture, and sacred history. Adam and Matt begin with the landmark's connection to Close Encounters of the Third Kind before turning to accounts from Native American tribes in the area.

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Why you'd press play

You'll meet Devil's Tower through rock, cinema, and the claw marks of a giant bear.

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