Bear Butte hike - My Actifit Report Card: June 15 2025

It was another warm day for a pleasant but tough hike up Bear Butte near Sturgis SD - a n igneous peak long considered sacred by many native people and a site of much indigenous worship with prayer offerings all along the butte.

It was a very strenuous mile and a half climb from the trailhead to the observation deck over 1000 feet above. The trail was narrow and rocky but that simply made me go slower and take in the tranquil beauty of the place.

I was hot, sweating and tired when I reached the summit but the reward was a fantastic vista of the surrounding green plains that stretched far into the distance. I stayed rested and said a few prayers before beginning the slightly easier downhill trek.