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Bear Butte State Park, Sturgis, SD

Photo: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureHistory Buff

Bear Butte State Park

6 miles northeast of Sturgis on SD-79 · Sturgis, SD

Why you should go…

Bear Butte, called Mato Paha by the Lakota, is a lone mountain rising about 1,250 feet above the plain northeast of Sturgis. A summit trail of 1.85 miles climbs to the top, which is also the northern end of the Centennial Trail. The butte is a sacred site for many tribes, and you will see prayer cloths and bundles tied to trees, which visitors are asked to leave undisturbed. A bison herd lives near the base.

  • #state park
  • #hiking
  • #sacred site
  • #bison
  • #black hills

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Bear Butte State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame

    Under $25

    Main Street museum tracing motorcycle history with nearly 100 bikes dating back to 1907.

    5.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau

    Free

    Sturgis, South Dakota's visitor bureau for trip planning around the Black Hills and the annual motorcycle rally.

    6.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Black Hills Above & Beyond Tours

    $50+

    Full-day narrated van tours through the Black Hills hitting Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial and Needles Highway.

    6.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    George S. Mickelson Trail

    Under $25

    Bike, hike or ride horseback on a 109-mile crushed limestone rail trail through the Black Hills.

    17 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Wonderland Cave

    Under $25

    Guided tours through a Black Hills show cave near Nemo, South Dakota, noted for its variety of crystal formations.

    20 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Spearfish Canyon

    Free

    Follow the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway past limestone cliffs and waterfalls, including Bridal Veil, Spearfish and Roughlock Falls.

    27 mi awayMore like this