Buttes

Buttes. (Pronounced BYOOT). What is a butte? , Butte is a French word that means small hill. A butte is a geological formation that has steep vertical sides or cliffs, a flat top, and that has a height greater than its width. Buttes are distinctly different from mesas found in the southwestern U.S. , A mesa is larger and has a wider top than its height. Buttes are frequently used as landmarks because of their distinctive characteristics. , How does a butte form? , A butte is formed when a hard caprock, such as hardened lava, overlies softer rock that is eventually worn away through weathering and erosion. As erosion occurs on the caprock the excess material falls to the bottom, creating the slope around the base. It takes millions of years for this process to occur. , Bear Butte , Bear Butte is visible ahead, northeast of Sturgis. Bear Butte is a sacred place for Native Americans. Some human artifacts found on or near the site have dated back to 10,000 years. The Lakota Sioux call it Matho Paha (Bear Mountain), and the Cheyenne call it Noahavose (Giving Hill). In Native American tradition, Cheyenne prophet Sweet Medicine was on Bear Butte when he received instructions from Ma'heo'o (God), which govern the tribe's religious, social, political and economic customs. The site is still used today for religious ceremonies, and Native Americans frequently tie prayer clothes and tobacco bundles to the trees, believing that the bundles will carry their prayer intentions to the Great Spirit. Bear Butte was an easily identifible landmark that settlers used for navigation during the gold rush. Bear Butte is a South Dakota state park. The National Trust for Historic Preservation listed Bear Butte as one of its top 11 most endangered places in 2011. , Is Bear Butte a volcano? , Yes and No. The capstone on top of the mountain is made of magma that was pushed up from the earth's crust. The volcano never erupted, and therefore is not complete. , How old is Bear Butte? , Scientists believe it is about 65 million years old. , How tall is Bear Butte? , It rises 1,253 feet above the plains and is 4,426 feet above sea level. , How was Bear Butte formed? , Geologists believe that magma pushed up from the earth's crust, but never erupted. The molten rock then cooled and hardened over softer rock and topsoil. Over time the softer bottom eroded away, creating the formation. , What would Bear Butte be if the magma had cooled more slowly? , It would be a granite peak. , How is Bear Butte similar to Devils Tower? , Bear Butte and Devils Tower were formed in much the same way. The two peaks hold great spiritual significance for the Native Americans. , When did Devils Tower Form? , Geologists believe the Tower formed about 40 million years ago. , How is Bear Butte Different from Devils Tower? , There are many differences. Unlike Bear Butte, Devils Tower has a flat top. The magma for Devils Tower cooled more slowly underground, forming the columns that became visible when the surrounding earth eroded away. President Theodore Roosevelt declared Devils Tower as the first national monument in 1906, while Bear Butte was declared a state park in 1961. Devils Tower is 1,267 above the surrounding plains and 5,112 feet above sea level. It rises 867 feet above its base.