A Land Of Rich Natural Splendor

To the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne, this land was holy—a sacred place of solitude, introspection and prayer—but its ruggedness, despite the eerie beauty, did not encourage long-term settlement. Many avoided the area entirely as the domain of the gods.

The Lakota name Paha Sapa (Black Mountains) is easy to explain: Seen from a distance, thick spruce and ponderosa pine forests create an undulating, dusky blanket that contrasts sharply with the light greens and yellows of encircling prairie grasses.