Buttes

A butte is a tall, narrow hill with a flat top and steep sides. Buttes look like small mesas. They are found in dry areas where wind and water have worn away most of the rock. Buttes are often seen standing alone in a desert landscape.

From Mesa to Butte

A butte starts out as part of a mesa. Over a very long time, wind and rain wear away the sides of the mesa. It gets smaller and smaller. When the flat top is narrower than the height, it is called a butte instead of a mesa.

Famous Buttes

The Mittens are two famous buttes in Monument Valley. They look like giant mittens sticking up from the ground. Devils Tower in Wyoming is a very famous butte. Scotts Bluff in Nebraska was a landmark for pioneers traveling west on the Oregon Trail.

Fun Facts

• The word butte comes from a French word meaning small hill.
• Monument Valley has been used as a setting in many movies.
• Some buttes are over 1,000 feet tall.

Did You Know?

Devils Tower in Wyoming was the first national monument in the United States, set aside by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906!