Is the Devil's Tower the World’s Largest Petrified Tree?
No, the Devil's Tower is not the world's largest petrified tree. Social media users have been circulating content suggesting that scientists have discovered the Devil’s Tower butte in Wyoming is actually a giant tree, based on the finding of an “incredibly large petrified root system” beneath it. This claim is false.
Devil's Tower is a natural rock formation primarily composed of phonolite porphyry, an igneous rock. It is a laccolith igneous intrusion located in the Bear Lodge Ranger District of the Black Hills in northeastern Wyoming, United States. The tower stands approximately 1,267 feet (386 meters) above the surrounding terrain and rises about 867 feet (264 meters) from its base.
The formation of Devil's Tower began around 41 million years ago during the late Eocene epoch. It was created by volcanic activity where molten rock, or magma, intruded into sedimentary rock layers but did not reach the surface to erupt. As the magma cooled slowly underground, it contracted and formed the distinctive columnar jointing, which creates the vertical columns seen today. Erosion over millions of years removed the softer sedimentary rocks surrounding the intrusion, exposing the harder igneous rock of the tower.
The idea that Devil's Tower is a petrified tree is a myth and not supported by geological evidence. True petrified wood forms when trees are buried by sediment, and mineral-rich groundwater flows through the remains, depositing minerals such as silica, calcite, or iron in the tree's cells, which turns the wood into stone. One of the most famous sites with petrified trees is Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, known for its large and well-preserved examples of petrified wood.
In contrast, Devil's Tower is composed of igneous rock and lacks the cellular structure characteristic of petrified wood. The columns of Devil's Tower are formed by the cooling and contraction of magma, not by the fossilization of ancient trees. Additionally, the geological processes that formed Devil's Tower are well-documented and studied, making the claim of it being a petrified tree highly improbable.