Within Devils Tower
For many people, Devils Tower is inseparable from Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The film turned the Wyoming monolith into one of the most recognisable UFO locations in popular culture. Yet the alien-contact image sits on top of far older meanings.
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Introduction
For many people, Devils Tower is inseparable from Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The film turned the Wyoming monolith into one of the most recognisable UFO locations in popular culture. Yet the alien-contact image sits on top of far older meanings. Long before the Tower became a destination for fictional extraterrestrials, it was a sacred place woven into the histories, ceremonies and cosmologies of numerous Indigenous nations of the Plains and Black Hills region. More than two dozen tribes maintain cultural connections to the site today, and many know it not as Devils Tower but through names that translate as Bear Lodge, Bear’s Tipi or related forms. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area…
Understanding Devils Tower only as a UFO landmark misses the deeper layer beneath Spielberg’s image. Indigenous traditions connect the formation with bears, prayer, ascent, protection, the sky and sacred action. Those meanings did not disappear when the film arrived; they continue to shape how many Native communities understand the place. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area… [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area…
Sacred Site Before Film Icon
The landmark that became famous through cinema was already culturally significant long before Hollywood discovered it. The National Park Service notes that many tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills have longstanding relationships with the site, and that it remains sacred to numerous Indigenous nations. Ceremonies, offerings, prayer ties and acts of reverence continue there today. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area… [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area…
One reason the UFO image can be misleading is that it encourages visitors to view the Tower as a mysterious object awaiting explanation. Indigenous traditions often approach it differently: not as a puzzle but as a place already embedded within a moral and spiritual landscape. The Tower is significant because of what happened there, what it teaches, and how it connects people to sacred relationships. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area…
This difference matters. In Close Encounters, the Tower functions as the endpoint of a summons from elsewhere. In Indigenous traditions, meaning flows from the place itself and from generations of stories, ceremonies and responsibilities attached to it. The site is not important because something arrives from the sky; it is important because it already occupies a sacred position within the world. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area… [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area…
Bear Lodge and Sky Narratives
Many Indigenous stories associated with the Tower centre on a giant bear. Although details vary between nations, a recurring theme involves people—often children or young girls—being pursued by a powerful bear and seeking help through prayer. The rock rises upward, carrying them beyond the bear’s reach. The vertical grooves visible on the Tower’s sides are explained as marks left by the bear’s claws as it attempted to climb after them. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area… [Wyoming]wyshs.orgdevils tower bear lodgeWyoming Historical SocietyDevils Tower (Bear Lodge)Long before it was designated as America's first National Monument in 1906, the tower…
The important point is not whether these stories function as geology in a modern scientific sense. Their significance lies in the relationships they express. The Tower becomes a place where prayer is answered, where the earth responds to danger, and where survival depends upon sacred intervention. The rock is not merely a dramatic backdrop; it acts within the story. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area…
Many versions also contain a strong connection between earth and sky. In some traditions, those rescued by the rising rock eventually become stars, often associated with the Pleiades. The Tower therefore serves as a bridge between terrestrial experience and the heavens. The movement upward is not about escape into outer space but about transformation, protection and cosmic relationship. [Wikipedia]WikipediaDevils TowerDevils Tower
Other narratives emphasise spiritual ascent in different ways. National Park Service materials describe Lakota traditions involving vision quests and miraculous movement between the base and summit. These stories portray the Tower as a place where ordinary boundaries can be crossed through spiritual power rather than technological intervention. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area…
Seen through this lens, the resemblance between Indigenous sky narratives and Spielberg’s fascination with contact is intriguing but limited. Both involve movement between worlds and encounters with something beyond everyday experience. Yet the underlying meanings are very different. Indigenous stories are rooted in kinship, ceremony and sacred geography, not in speculation about extraterrestrial visitors. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area…
Why the Film Does Not Own the Tower
The success of Close Encounters permanently altered public perception of Devils Tower. Millions of viewers came to associate the formation with UFOs, government secrecy and alien communication. For many visitors, the film remains the first thing that comes to mind when they see the landmark. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]reviewjournal.comLas Vegas Review-JournalNative Tribes seek name change of iconic, sacred…October 4, 2016 — 4 Oct 2016 — Depicted in the 1977 movie “Cl…
That popularity, however, created a tension. The cinematic image is globally famous, while Indigenous meanings are often less visible despite being far older. Scholars and Native advocates have repeatedly noted that the commonly used name “Devils Tower” itself emerged from nineteenth-century misunderstandings and does not reflect the traditional names used by local tribes. Debates over renaming the site to Bear Lodge have grown from this concern. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area… [IAA]iaa.uni-rostock.deBear Lodge/Devils Tower - Institut für Anglistik/Amerikanistikby D Tower — Thus, the name 'Devil's Tower' was unrelated to their tradi…
The issue is not simply terminology. Names influence what visitors notice. A traveller arriving at a place called Devils Tower after watching a UFO film may expect mystery, spectacle or science fiction. A traveller arriving at Bear Lodge encounters a different set of questions: Why bears? Why lodge? What stories are attached to this place? The name points towards Indigenous history rather than away from it. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area… [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area…
This is why many Native perspectives do not reject the film so much as resist allowing it to become the Tower’s sole identity. The landmark existed as a sacred place before Spielberg used it as a visual symbol, and it remains one afterwards. Ceremonies continue. Prayer ties continue. Cultural connections continue. The UFO icon is one layer of meaning, but it is not the foundation. [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area… [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area…
Seeing the Landmark Through Both Histories
The most revealing way to understand Devils Tower within the broader story of Spielberg and UFOs is to recognise that the film added a new mythology to a place already dense with older ones. Close Encounters transformed the Tower into a global symbol of contact, but Indigenous traditions had long treated it as a place where the human world touched larger powers.
The difference is that the older stories are not waiting beneath the UFO image as forgotten curiosities. They remain active traditions connected to living communities. Bears, ascent, stars, prayer and sacred responsibility continue to shape how many Indigenous peoples understand the Tower today. The film made the landmark famous, but it did not create its meaning. Wyoming Historical Society [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area… [National Park Service]nps.govNational Park Service American IndiansNational Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area…
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Endnotes
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Devils Tower
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Tower -
Source: iaa.uni-rostock.de
Link: https://www.iaa.uni-rostock.de/forschung/laufende-forschungsprojekte/american-antiquities-prof-mackenthun/landmark-stories/devils-tower-1/Source snippet
Bear Lodge/Devils Tower - Institut für Anglistik/Amerikanistikby D Tower — Thus, the name 'Devil's Tower' was unrelated to their tradi...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: New Jersey Devils
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey_DevilsSource snippet
New Jersey DevilsFor other uses, see Jersey Devil (disambiguation). The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Devils Tower | Great Plains Legends
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhUEcxZ0zxkSource snippet
3 Matȟó Thípila: Bear Lodge (Devil's Tower-X) - Sacred Indigenous Site - Wyoming, USA, "Turtle Island"...
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Source: nps.gov
Title: National Park Service American Indians
Link: https://www.nps.gov/deto/learn/historyculture/americanindians.htmSource snippet
National Park ServiceAmerican Indians - Devils TowerMany tribes of the Great Plains and Black Hills regions had connections with the area...
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Source: nps.gov
Link: https://www.nps.gov/articles/devilstower.htmSource snippet
National Park ServiceDevils Tower or Bear Lodge?13 Dec 2019 —... Bear Lodge (Devils Tower) has inspired many human connections to the si...
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Source: nps.gov
Title: National Park Service First Stories
Link: https://www.nps.gov/deto/learn/historyculture/first-stories.htmSource snippet
Tower. He explained: "The Indians called the Devils Tower "Bear's Tipi" or "Bear Lodge," because so many bears lived there. They believed...
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Source: nps.gov
Link: https://www.nps.gov/deto/learn/historyculture/reverence.htmSource snippet
National Park ServiceA Place of Reverence for Native Americans - Devils Tower...Apr 24, 2025 — The Lakotas traditionally held their sacr...
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Source: wyshs.org
Title: devils tower bear lodge
Link: https://wyshs.org/devils-tower-bear-lodgeSource snippet
Wyoming Historical SocietyDevils Tower (Bear Lodge)Long before it was designated as America's first National Monument in 1906, the tower...
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Source: reviewjournal.com
Link: https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nation-and-world/native-tribes-seek-name-change-of-iconic-sacred-landmark-devils-tower/Source snippet
Las Vegas Review-JournalNative Tribes seek name change of iconic, sacred...October 4, 2016 — 4 Oct 2016 — Depicted in the 1977 movie “Cl...
Published: October 4, 2016
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Source: nps.gov
Title: National Park Service About the Name
Link: https://www.nps.gov/deto/learn/historyculture/aboutthename.htmSource snippet
And so "the Devil's Tower" became simply "Devils Tower." Changing a Name. Controversy exists today over the proper name of this place. In...
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Source: travelwyoming.com
Title: bear lodge the sacred history of devils tower
Link: https://travelwyoming.com/blog/stories/post/bear-lodge-the-sacred-history-of-devils-tower/Source snippet
Bear Lodge: The Sacred Legend of Devils Tower9 Sept 2021 — Local tribes wonder why it's still called Devils Tower, and a proposal to chan...
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Source: iaa.uni-rostock.de
Link: https://www.iaa.uni-rostock.de/forschung/laufende-forschungsprojekte/american-antiquities-prof-mackenthun/landmark-stories/devils-tower/Source snippet
Lodge/Devils Tower - Institut für Anglistik/AmerikanistikThus, the name 'Devil's Tower' was unrelated to their traditions, which do not f...
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Source: nps.gov
Link: https://www.nps.gov/articles/devstower.htmSource snippet
Wyoming: Devil's Tower National Monument (U.S....Dec 18, 2018 — Though there are many origin stories about what is now Devil's... The p...
Additional References
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/NationalPark/comments/1mwil65/bear_lodge_aka_devils_tower/Source snippet
Bear Lodge (aka Devils Tower): r/NationalParkAccording to one of the signs many people have “lobbied” for a name change from Devils Towe...
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Source: npshistory.com
Link: https://npshistory.com/publications/deto/brochures/american-indians.pdfSource snippet
Devils TowerSome Plains Indian tribes have objected to the name Devils Tower, considering it offensive to a site they regard as sacred. A...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/261732704319554/posts/1765264087299734/Source snippet
Devils Tower name origin controversyThis was later shortened to the Devil's Tower. All information signs in that area use the name "Devil...
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Source: intermountainhistories.org
Link: https://www.intermountainhistories.org/items/show/578Source snippet
Intermountain HistoriesDevils Tower National MonumentDevils Tower is a sacred site for Lakotas and Kiowas. Though designated a US nationa...
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Source: espn.com
Link: https://www.espn.com/nhl/team/_/name/nj/new-jersey-devilsSource snippet
New Jersey Devils Scores, Stats and HighlightsVisit ESPN for New Jersey Devils live scores, video highlights, and latest news. Find stand...
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Source: scholarsbank.uoregon.edu
Link: https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/ea4e26be-f888-45c8-8d77-3e8d8821611b/contentSource snippet
uoregon.edu[https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/server/api/core/b...Standing](https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/server/api/core/b...Standing) Witness: Devils Tower National Monument: A History. Devils Tower...
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Source: npshistory.com
Link: https://npshistory.com/publications/deto/naming-bear-lodge.pdfSource snippet
Service juxtaposes the name "Devils Tower" with the active portrayal of Indian legends pertaining to the tower. This is done...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/newjerseydevilsSource snippet
New Jersey DevilsThe official YouTube channel of the New Jersey Devils. The New Jersey Devils are the premier National Hockey League (NHL...
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Source: cowboystatedaily.com
Title: devils tower koa a close encounter with americas first national monument
Link: https://cowboystatedaily.com/2023/08/19/devils-tower-koa-a-close-encounter-with-americas-first-national-monument/Source snippet
Devils Tower KOA A 'Close Encounter' With America's First...19 Aug 2023 — Devils Tower was also one of the sacred places chosen by Morga...
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Source: npshistory.com
Link: https://npshistory.com/series/archeology/rmr/9/report.pdfSource snippet
Ethnographic Overview and Assessment or Devils Tower...by CR SELECTIONS — Eastern Shoshone representatives indicated in a July 3, 1991 m...
Published: July 3, 1991
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