Bat Festival at Devils Tower

In celebration of National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 25, the National Park Service (NPS) and Devils Tower Natural History Association will host a bat festival. The festival will include educational activities about these rarely seen nighttime animals.

The northern long-eared bat, Myotis septentrionalis, is among 11 bat species that have been identified at the monument. The northern long-eared bat was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.

“Here at Devils Tower we hope that the festival gives visitors the fun and unique opportunity to learn about bats, why they are important to the ecosystem, and why they are important to the agricultural success of our local area,” says Russ Cash, Chief of Resources Management.

“Due to the recent discovery of white-nose syndrome at the Tower, we would like to educate the public on this disease, bats, and why they are important to the monument, the community and agriculture.”

NPS Fee-Free Day: All Day The NPS has designated National Public Lands Day as a fee-free day, in which the entrance fees at all NPS sites is waived.

Bat Festival: 5-8 p.m. in the Picnic Area Please bring a flashlight or headlamp, with a red lens if possible, and dress in layers for cold weather.

Ranger Talks: 7-7:30 p.m. Learn about how bats are an important piece of our ecosystem, how they control pests, and how they benefit agriculture in our local communities. Learn about how White Nose Syndrome affects our bats.

Build a Bat House: 5-8 pm Build a bat house with repurposed lumber and help support bat habitat near your home…

Bat Walk with a Ranger: 6:15-7:45 p.m. Use special detectors to hear bat echolocation calls….

Strict COVID-19 mitigations will be employed during the Bat Festival. Participants must follow Devils Tower National Monument’s health and safety guidelines outlined at nps.gov/deto. The outdoor festival will be limited to less than 50 visitors at one time and physically distancing will occur.