Summit Trail

The Summit Trail ascends to the 4,426-foot summit of Bear Butte, a solitary laccolith rising dramatically from the surrounding Black Hills plains and one of the most sacred sites in the religious traditions of more than 20 Plains Indian nations, including the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne peoples. The trail climbs steeply from the visitor center trailhead through a series of switchbacks cut into the butte's southeastern face, gaining over 1,200 feet of elevation through ponderosa pine forest, mixed-grass prairie slopes, and exposed rocky ridgelines before reaching the rocky summit plateau. Prayer bundles, tobacco ties, and cloth offerings left by Native American visitors are tied to trees and shrubs throughout the climb; these items are sacred and must not be touched or disturbed under any circumstances.

The summit rewards the strenuous climb with a 360-degree panorama that encompasses the entire Black Hills massif to the south and west, the Wyoming prairie extending to the Bear Lodge Mountains beyond, and the agricultural plains of western South Dakota spreading to the north and east. On clear days the distance visibility exceeds 100 miles. The butte is an important vision quest site and ceremonial destination actively used by contemporary Native American practitioners, and hikers may encounter individuals engaged in private spiritual observance along the trail; respectful distance and silence are expected. The trail surface is rocky and eroded in places, and afternoon thunderstorms develop rapidly over the exposed summit in summer. The entire butte is closed on specific ceremonial dates announced annually by the park.