White Butte – North Dakota’s Highest Point – 3,506 feet

Though not part of the Maah Daah Hey Trail System, White Butte is located southeast of Amidon, ND about 8.7 miles or 30 miles southeast of Burning Coal Vein Trailhead the southern terminus of the Maah Daah Hey Trail. If you are a high pointer or you are just curious about what you can see on a clear day take advantage of the improved access road, trailhead parking, and the 0.9 mile trail to the top. White Butte is the 31st highest summit of the USA state highpoints.

White Butte Trail Use Rules

White Butte and the trail leading to the top are on private land owned by Mary Dennis. To ensure the trail remains op to the public, please follow these rules.

  • Foot traffic only. Bay strollers or wheelchairs are allowed on the trail.
  • Always stay on the established trail for your safety and protection of the property.
  • Do not leave any articles, names or other items on White Butte or post advertisements of any kind without the landowner’s permission.
  • Rattle snakes, bull snakes, garter snakes, wildlife and cattle occupy this area. Avoid them and do not harass any critters along the trail.
  • Do not collect rocks, plants, animals, snakes, or any other natural feature.
  • Hunting is allowed in the trail area with the landowner’s permission.
  • At the top, sign in on the notepad in the ammo box, and enjoy a lunch break but pack out all garbage. (PACK IT IN – PACK IT OUT)

White Butte Geology

White Butte displays three distinct period of deposition resulting in the Arikaree, Brule and Chadron Formations. It is unknown how many other strata were deposited above the Arikaree Formation as these were eroded away leaving the harder Arikaree sandstone.

Miocene Arikaree Formation is the caprock protecting the softer strata from erosion and was deposited between 5.3 and 23 million years ago. This stratum consists of concretionary cross bedded limestones and gray/green to white sandstones, conglomerates, siltstones and claystones. The rocks contain mammal bone fragments and the conglomerates contain pieces of clinker (“scoria”) indicating lignite has been burning for millions of years.

Brule Formation is only 25 feet thick on White Butte and is comprised of white colored siltstones. A significant portion was eroded prior to the deposition of the overlying Arikaree Formation.

South Heart Member of the Chadron Formation consists of brown to gray green semtetic claystone that contains thin lens-shaped beds of freshwater limestone. Smetetic clay is mined in the USA for commercial and industrial uses and is more commonly known as bentonite. South Heart claystones have “popcorn weathering” surfaces and drape over the underlying stratum making it difficult to determine where one stratum ends, and the next stratum begins. The member is about 95 feet thick at White Butte. The Chadron Formation was deposited between 32 and 34 million years ago.

Chalky Buttes Member of the Chadron Formation consists of white, gravel bearing cross-bedded sandstones and sandy mudstones. The cliffs of the Chalky Buttes member erode to a more vertical cliff than the overlaying South Heart Member. The thickness of this member at White Butte is about 100 feet.

White Butte Ownership History

History

The trail to White Butte is all on private land. The land was obtained by the USA with the Louisiana purchase. In 1902, the parcel that White Butte is found was originally included in the lands granted to the Northern Pacific Railroad (NPRR) by the US government for railroad construction along the Little Missouri River. In 1915, owners had title to this parcel, but during the 1950’s, the Rueben Buzalsky family became the landowners. Later the land was transferred from Rueben (Buzalsky) Dennis later purchased the property from Angie Buzalsky’s Children. The Current landowner is Mary Dennis.

ND Highest Point History

Many people argued over the years that Black Butte some 7 miles west of White Butte was the highest point in North Dakota. The US Geological Survey measured these buttes in 1962 and determined that at 3,506 feet White Butte was the highest point in North Dakota, with Black Butte being second at 3,465 feet. More high points in North Dakota include number 3 – Sentinel Butte at 3,428 feet and number 4 – Camel (Hump) Butte at 3,406 feet. On a clear day, Black Butte, Sentinel Butte and Camel Hump Butte are visible from White Butte.