Editor Pick
Bear Butte
- January 29, 2006
- Rated 5 of 5 by
gandjwhite from Rapid City, South Dakota
“Bear Butte” to the white man… “Mato Paha” to the Lakota… “Noahvose” to the Cheyenne… Whatever you choose to call this sacred mountain, I've found that a day in its presence consistently provides an indefinable experience.
The experience weaves together Culture, Wildlife, Scenery, and Spirituality like the four tribal colors you find hanging on the pines along the way—Red, Black, White, Yellow.
Culture
Stories of its origin go back 1,000s of years. Whatever the truth, there is something about this place that keeps people of all colors coming back again and again to escape the material and enter into the embrace of nature in its primitive finest. Over 60 Native American tribes have called this mountain sacred and many of them still make frequent pilgrimages. You will almost always find some of the tribes present at the mountain, perhaps praying, hiking to the eastern side on some kind of quest, or maybe at the base camp performing the “sweat lodge” ceremony. You will find the trees strewn with prayer ties year round. These are most often colored cloth with tobacco bundles tied throughout. I have seen many even more interesting offerings—one time a bone knife with a note left in the rock. Whatever you see, it's important to leave it undisturbed. Stop in at the Education Center for more history and culture. (8am-6pm May-Sept.--Free)
Wildlife
Although the mountain itself resembles a bear lying down (hence the name), There are no bears. But, you will find a herd of buffalo at the base and plenty of deer, birds, and ground squirrels. You may also find other wildlife like badger, skunk, rattlesnake, etc. The Education center also has displayed some of the species most likely to be seen.
Scenery
The hike itself is about a 1000 foot elevation gain in a 2.5 mile hike. Leave yourself plenty of time to rest at the many scenic rest stops along the way. It can get pretty hot up there as the trees are relatively thin. Plus, you’ll want the extra time to look at all the offerings and explore some of the rock ledges. From the top, you get an amazing view. You can see four states in the 360 degree panoramic. Off to the west are the silhouettes of the Black Hills but other than that it seems that the plains roll on forever.
Spirituality
Although I am not Native American, I have always enjoyed the spiritual uplift I seem to get when hiking Bear Butte. It reminds me of Moses hiking Mt. Sinai. I often hike the mountain alone and have found very few others to disturb me. I am able to enter into a quiet frame of mind and tap into my inner being in the peace of my natural surroundings. It’s really indescribable, but highly recommended. This is not a mountain to be conquered but to be experienced.
Located 6 miles NE of Sturgis off SD Hwy 79
$5/day/vehicle entrance fee
$6/site camping fee
Open year round 8am to 7pm
From journal Hiking Bear Butte, Sturgis, South Dakota