Butte Saint Paul State Recreation Area facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Butte Saint Paul State Recreation Area
Butte Saint Paul State Recreation Area Location in North Dakota
Location	Bottineau County, North Dakota, United States
Nearest city	Dunseith
Area	51.23 acres (20.73 ha)
Elevation	2,280 ft (690 m)
Designation	North Dakota state recreation area
Established	June 28, 1933
Administrator	North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department
Website	Butte Saint Paul State Recreation Area

Butte Saint Paul State Recreation Area is a public recreation area located seven miles (11 km) northwest of Dunseith in Bottineau County, North Dakota. The state park unit encompasses 580-foot (180 m) Butte Saint Paul. A 12-foot (3.7 m) stone cairn and commemorative plaque sit atop the peak. A circular trail to the top of the peak allows hikers to take in expansive views of the surrounding Turtle Mountain region.

History

In January 1850, Jesuit missionary Georges-Antoine Belcourt and a small traveling party survived a blizzard by digging into the snow atop the peak. Belcourt erected a wooden cross on the summit and christened the peak Butte Saint Paul, as that day was the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle. The remains of the cross were rediscovered in the 1930s and were commemorated with a stone cairn and the declaration of a 10-acre (4.0 ha) state park.