Don’t Try This One Hike in North Dakota if You’re Afraid of Heights

My favorite hike with a view in North Dakota reminds me of the 2000 comedy film Bring It On. Now, Jacki, you might be thinking, "Why are we talking about a cheerleading movie when we’re supposed to be talking about hiking and heights?" Fair question. No pom-poms appear on this trail, and no one is counting eight. The connection is pure spirit. Bring It On gave us one of the great underdog rally cries of all time: "Second place? Hell yeah!" That line belongs just as much to one very tall hill on the North Dakota prairie as it does to a national cheer competition.

Black Butte is the second-highest point in North Dakota, and it wears that ranking with confidence. The first-place trophy for the tallest North Dakota peak goes to White Butte, about an hour away. Don't worry, Black Butte hike doesn’t sulk in silver-medal energy. It shows up strong, steady, and ready to impress. For people searching for hikes in North Dakota with real elevation and wide-open views, this one delivers without a shred of drama. The climb is challenging in a satisfying way, the kind that makes you feel accomplished rather than rattled. The height sneaks up on you, then rewards you with a view that feels earned.

The trail crosses open prairie before tilting upward into rockier ground. Your boots meet stone, grass, and earth in quick rotation. The terrain keeps you engaged, but it never feels hostile. Heights here feel expansive, not intimidating. The land drops away gradually, giving you time to notice how far you’ve come. At the top, the horizon stretches so wide it feels like the earth took a deep breath and held it just for you... which I guess it kind of did.

This is one of those North Dakota hikes that resets your sense of scale. The prairie below looks tidy and geometric. Other buttes rise in the distance like punctuation marks. The wind hums instead of howls. If you enjoy hiking with views, especially places where you can see for miles without craning your neck, Black Butte fits the bill.

Slope County adds to the experience. The nearby town of Rhame is small, friendly, and exactly what you want after a good hike. People chat. Doors stay unlocked. The pace is unhurried in the best way. Bowman, about fifteen minutes away, offers practical comforts and local flavor. You can grab fuel at Cenex, find a solid meal in town, and explore the Pioneer Trails Regional Museum, which provides context for the ranching and homesteading history that shaped this landscape. Nothing feels staged. It all belongs here.

Black Butte also is near some of the most interesting outdoor destinations in western North Dakota. Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Medora are close enough to pair with your hike (about an hour away), making this an easy addition to a Badlands adventure. If you’re building a list of the best hikes in North Dakota, especially ones with height, exposure, and payoff, this area earns a bold underline.

The beauty of this hike lies in its confidence. It doesn’t try to outshine the state’s highest point. It doesn’t need to. Like a well-practiced cheer squad, it knows exactly who it is. Strong base. Solid climb. Big finish. Second place never felt so good.

So come visit North Dakota. Come hike Black Butte. Stand tall at the second-highest point in the state and enjoy every inch of the view. Second place? Hell yeah. And yes, that’s still the spirit we’re bringing to the top.

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