Slim Buttes National Forest - Reva, SD
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 45° 31.432 W 103° 10.451
13T E 642584 N 5042769
Buttes Range, with geological and historical significents
Waymark Code: WMPMW4
Location: South Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 09/23/2015
Views: 4
County of site: Harding County
Location of site: Generally E. & W. of SD-79, N. & S. of SD20, with Reva the controlling town
Established: March 1904
Area: 58,160 Acres
Predominate Landmark: The Castles
Marker erected by: Citizens of the Slim Butte Area and the State Highway Commission
Date marker erected: 1957
Marker Text:
SLIM BUTTES AREA
80 square miles of nature's wonders ~ a National Forest
WHAT TO SEE
The SLIM BUTTES are an elevated land mass between the GRAND and MOREAU Rivers in the shape of a huge "L" 20 miles N & S - 10 miles E & W. The N, W & S sides are sheer ESCARPMENTS or steep declevities. The E side is a series of inter~connected valleys. At places the distance between the E&W watersheds is but a few rods.
ROADS. County, always passable, Forest, good weather only.
NATIONAL FOREST. The great bulk of area is in Custer National Forest ~ a region of wonderful vistas as noted below.
1. South GRAND 7 CAVE HILLS 15 mi.
2. NORTH BUTTE & Battlefield 6
3. Wooded glen & West I~50
4. Battleship & Steamboat Rocks ½
5. Reva Gap & Valley 2
6. NORTH BUTTE & Range 3
7. J. B. Rock & FLAT TOP 3~10
8. West Escarpment ½~5
9. West Escarpment ½~10
10. BLACK HILLS 70 ~ Scattered Buttes ~ Moreau ~ Crook's Exit in 1876 with trains & wounded.
11. Summit Pass ½, Moreau & BH 70
12. Rabbit Valley ~ Interior Buttes
13. South Escarpment, ½~5, a stupendous view
14. Three Sisters & South ½~30
15. Sheep Mt. & Moreau 3~30
16. SE to FLAT TOP 5~30
17. N across valley to Pink Butte
"YOU AINT SEEN NUTHIN YET"
Another tourist point of view: Avid Rider
Slim Buttes and the Hunters
"We drove south from Killdeer North Dakota to get to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. We knew we could not make it all the way, so we would have to find a place to stay overnight. We had no internet so could not surf the web. No Camp Club USA campgrounds nearby for 50% off rates. Had to use the big old map that was in the car. Found one of those camping symbols (a tent) in a place called Buffalo, SD which is not too far from Bison SD... go figure. As we drove through the 'town' of Buffalo (population 360) there was a main street campground that was seemingly full... full of hunter-type men drinking beer with 5th wheels and campers very close together. We decided not to pull in there. We continued on and passed a 'roadside' camp that was full up too... which was fine with me. We turned down Route 20 East and headed to Slim Buttes, which is where the map said there might be some camping. After 26 miles down a road with no turnarounds we finally came to Slim Buttes National Forest. We pulled in and were met again with a group of hunters. This time I stopped and talked to them. I asked if there were any spots for us to put the camper for the night. Much to our amazement, they were kind enough to say that our rig was too big to go any further into the camping area up and around the buttes. They talked a bit and figured if one of them moved their truck out of the parking area, then we could 'camp' in the parking lot in front of their campsites. They even spotted for me while I did an absolutely amazing job of turning our rig around in a very small space. We parked, plugged in, and settled in for the night.
Saturday September 29th
"Woke up to an absolutely beautiful day. What a pleaseant change to have warm winds instead of the cold nights with the heater running all night and cold mornings to start our day. Here at Slim Buttes, we actually ended up using a fan all night!. This morning there is an awesome warm breeze through the pine trees and around the bluff that towers over this small campground. Soleil and I took a morning walk with Kody and went up a hill to look out over the land behind our campsite. It was gorgeous. The moon and the sun were up at the same time and the wind was quite strong at the top of the hill. We hugged and said how grateful we were for the beauty and then headed back down the hill to our camper. Along the way, we found yucca plants, small cactus plants, and Kody found lots of pinecones. Breakfast for us all and we'll be on our way to Mount Rushmore!" ~ The Pierre Girls' Travel Journal!