harperg76•1mo agoProlific Poster

I think the 'Devil's Tower is a tree stump' idea is way more fun than the official story

I was out in Wyoming last month and saw Devil's Tower up close. The park signs all say it's an old volcano plug, but honestly, the local legend about it being a giant petrified tree stump is way more interesting. Looking at those huge columns, they really do look like bark. I know the science says it's igneous rock, but I think geology gets too hung up on the 'right' answer sometimes. It's okay to enjoy a good story too. Has anyone else felt like the official explanation for a rock formation kind of kills the magic?

3 comments

3 Comments

lily701mo ago

That view from the Belle Fourche River campground really does make those columns look like bark. I get wanting to keep a bit of the magic alive.

the_kim1mo ago

Notice how we all do that with places we love... we hold onto the little stories that make them feel special, even if we know the real facts. It's like choosing the better version in your head because it feels right. That kind of magic is worth keeping around.

matthew1661mo ago

We do the same thing with old family stories, picking the fun version over the boring truth.