Steptoe Butte State Park

About Steptoe Butte State Park

Steptoe Butte State Park is one of the largest and most beautiful of its kind in the United States. The quartzite stumps are thimble-shaped, with bare splendour predominating on the flat surfaces.

At the top of Butte, the eye can see for over 200 miles, and the park is open year-round - for daily use only. It is one of the most beautiful parks in the agricultural area of South Dakota and the second largest national park in North America after Yellowstone National Park.

The foothills are made of quartzite and the surrounding terrain is rich in minerals such as sandstone, granite and quartz. The Indians called Butte "the mountain of power," and it is believed that a trip to the summit gave the mountain's guardian spirit a gift of strength.

Hawthorn brush is abundant in the park and was used by local Indians to make medicine baskets and other essentials.

Colonel Edward Steptoe, who served for years as the US Army's chief of staff for peace-keeping in the region. During a conflict with the Indians, which he tried to prevent, the man was killed and his men killed.

The park has no campsites, but it has and behaves like an open-air campground, which is available on the principle of "first come, first served."

Signs inform about the mountain range and surrounding mountains as well as the history of the park. Signs can also be seen in the parks, interpreting the history of the Cashup Hotel, which once stood on a mountain.

The hotel is located on the west side of the park, just a few hundred meters from the parking lot, and you can turn around at the entrance of the campground, about 800 meters north of the city.

The sign follows Oakesdale Steptoe Butte from the north side of the park to the south side, just a few hundred yards north, and from there the sign follows you back to your hotel.

In winter, drive carefully on the roads through the park, the entrances can be covered with snow and ice, so drive slowly and carefully.