DEVILS MONUMENT

DURING THE YEARS WE SURVEYED IN THE BLACK HILLS WE WENT TO VISIT NEARBY ATTRACTIONS WHEN WE WEREN'T WORKING. THE MONUMENT'S TOWER WAS 1300 FEET TALL AND WE SAW IT WHILE WE WERE SURVEYING. AND WE LOOKED ON OUR
TOPO MAPS AND SAW THAT IT WAS NEARBY THE HILLS. THE TOWER WAS SACRED TO THE PLAINS INDIANS AND WAS RECORDED IN FIRST PERSON NARATIVES IN 1930'S. THE ROCK IS A LARGE COLUMN OF PHONOLITE PORPHYRY. PHONOLITE IS MADE OF CRYSTALS. MANY PEOPLE TRY TO CLIMB THESE COLUMNS. THE TOP OF THE TOWER IS THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD. WILDLIFE IS ABUNDANT WITH MAMMMALS, BIRDS, REPTILES, INSECTS, AND AMPHIBIANS, PRAIRIE DOGS THAT MAKE THEIR HOME IN THE SOFT SAIL. THEY HAVE ANTELOPE AND DEER IN THE FORESTS NEARBY. PRAIRIE FALCONS SOMETIMES NEST IN THE CRACKS OF DEVIL'S TOWER. CLIMBING THE TOWER IS CLOSED UNTIL THE YOUNG FALCONS FLEDGE AS THE ARE SENSITIVE TO THE HUMANS.

BOTANISTS HAVE IDENTIFIED AT LEAST 56 EXOTIC PLANT SPECIES INCLUDING LEAFY SPURGE, HOUNDSTONGUE, AND NONNATIVE SPECIES OF THISTLES THAT ARE CONTROLLED WITH HERBICIDES AND BEETLES.

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