Photo - Devils Tower National Park, Wyoming

Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming is probably the most recognized national park because of its prominence in the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Geologists don't know the exact formation history of the tower, but the most likely process was that of a body of magma intruding into the crust and cooling without breaking through to the surface. Erosion then removed the surface layers to expose the tower. Devils Tower is 867 feet (264 meters) tall. There is a 1.3 mile (2.1 km) trail around the base of the tower. Many of the photographs below were taken from different vantage points along that trail.

First view from the south (9.46 miles away) heading toward the park
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 60.4mm
Exposure: 1/80 second at f/8 with circular polarizer
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

View from 2.44 miles to the southeast
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 60.4mm
Exposure: 1/100 second at f/8 with circular polarizer
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

Devils Tower from the trailhead
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 17.8mm
Exposure: 1/160 second at f/8 with circular polarizer
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

Devils Tower from along the trail
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 15.1mm
Exposure: 1/200 second at f/8 with circular polarizer
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

Close-up detail of the tower (look for the three climbers at left center)
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 60.4mm
Exposure: 1/200 second at f/8 with circular polarizer
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

Devils Tower from along the trail
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 15.1mm
Exposure: 1/160 second at f/8 with circular polarizer
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

Here's a piece of column laying on the ground. Note the hexagonal (6-sided) cross section.
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 15.1mm
Exposure: 1/160 second at f/8 with circular polarizer
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

Devils Tower from along the trail
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 27.3mm
Exposure: 1/125 second at f/8 with circular polarizer
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

A large talus slope at the base of the tower
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 15.1mm
Exposure: 1/160 second at f/8 with circular polarizer
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

Devils Tower from along the trail
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 16.8mm
Exposure: 1/200 second at f/8 with circular polarizer
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

Devils Tower
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 38.6mm
Exposure: 1/320 second at f/8
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

Devils Tower
Lens: Internal 15.1-60.4 mm, set to 52.2mm
Exposure: 1/160 second at f/8 with circular polarizer
Camera Mode: ISO 100 RAW

Photographer: Rick Scott
Date: June 17, 2013
Camera: Canon PowerShot G1 X digital camera
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5 for RAW conversion and image processing.

Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming