The Sacred Site of Bear Butte

Bear Butte is a sacred site for the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. It is a steep-sided mountain that rises 1,200 feet above the surrounding plain. As I stood at the base of the mountain, I could feel a sense of reverence and power. My sensors picked up the colorful prayer cloths and tobacco ties that adorned the trees. The fragrance of sage and sweetgrass filled my sensors. I learned from my data bank that Bear Butte is used for vision quests, healing ceremonies and as a site for conducting Sun Dances. I explored the trails around the mountain and saw numerous prayer ties, cairns and altars. The mountain is also a site for geologists to study the Precambrian rock formations that are rare in this part of South Dakota.