The Story Behind This Giant Rock in the Middle of a Field | Untold Earth

Devil’s Tower, also known as Mato Tipila or Bear’s Lodge, was formed over 50 million years ago. Rising dramatically from the Wyoming plains, this spellbinding monolith is a pillar of Lakota Sioux mythology, and an enduring challenge to rock climbers worldwide. Through thousands of years of human fascination, there has been a critical question: How did it get here?

Explore the seeming impossibilities behind our planet’s strangest, most unique natural wonders in Untold Earth, a new series from Atlas Obscura, in partnership with Nature and PBS Digital Studios. From fragile, untouched ecosystems to familiar but unexplained occurrences in our own backyards, this series chases insight into natural phenomena through the voices of those who know them best.