This was the very first National Monument and was established in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt using the new Antiquities Act. Those who have watched the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” will recognize this landmark. It was very interesting to see it for real and to hike around it. For those that are adventurous it can also be climbed, except during the month of June as it is considered a sacred site for many Native Americans, and many of their ceremonies occur during that time. Also, when hiking around the tower, if you see cloth tied onto trees, do not remove them as they are Native American prayer cloths.