Bear Lodge/Devils Tower WY

I went to this National Park on April 9 (2011).  I met my friend Chief Arvol Looking Horse there so that we could hear the Dakota/Lakota stories.  I haven't seen him for about a month-- the last time was when we were in Arizona.

We got to the park after dinner time.  There were so many deer EVERYWHERE as we drove to the town when it was almost dark. The grocery store had just closed. 

This is a picture of me in the park visitors center.  There is a Lakota story of the bear chasing the girls and when they prayed, God answered and He saved them from the bear because the ground grew to became a mountain and then the bear couldn't reach them. Then the girls went up to heaven and became like the stars.  

Look at me -- I'm a bear just like the picture!

We got out of the car and I took this picture.  What a pretty sunset.

Ranger Hugh when I got my Junior Ranger badge

They should change the name of the Devil's Tower park.  Maybe to Bear Lodge (the original name) or Bear Claw Park or Sacred Bear Mountain or something else, not naming a park for the Devil.  I don't like that name.  It is pretty there and God made it --not the Devil.  And it goes better with the story the Indians tell.  And it sounds better and cooler.  And people come there to pray.  Why should the Devil get something named after him?  I think a bear would be cool.  Maybe all the Indian Chiefs who think this is sacred too should come and choose the new name that honors this special place.

I didn't see any bears, but I did see a porcupine!!  It was getting dark and then something ran in front of me.  The porcupine sat in the tree branch way up high right over the path we had to walk on.  We didn't want to walk under it.  His body was all sharp and pointy.  I tried to see the wooden ladder that goes up the side of the tower.  But I couldn't see it through the binoculars. 

Did you know someone parachuted and landed on top of the mountain.  He got stuck there.  It took six days to send someone up to get him.  And Chief Arvol said that his great great grandfather left a buffalo skull up on top and that some climber found it when he was up there.  How did that man climb up there?  That's amazing.    I think I will just sit at the bottom of the mountain and watch for bears and porcupines.  I hiked all the way around the mountain.  There is a trail and then lots of boulders and loose rocks.  We didn't go up to the top or climb on it.  We saw lots of prayer bundles tied to trees.  I liked this park and I got my Junior Ranger badge from Ranger Hugh who spent time with my mom and Chief Arvol talking.  I've never been to Wyoming before.