[1] Thunder Butte is a large, isolated hill that can be seen for many miles in every direction, and has served throughout history as an important orientation point for area residents or a navigational aide for travelers crossing the surrounding plains.

The butte lies in the Southeast quarter of Section 26 of Township 16 North, Range 18 East.

Lower elevations of surroundings grasslands/plains are underlain by the softer and more easily eroded Hell Creek sedimentary rock.

In August 1823, on the south fork of the Grand River (located north west of Thunder Butte, in Perkins County, South Dakota), Hugh Glass encountered a grizzly bear and was so badly mauled that he was left for dead by the others in his party.

[10] Thunder Butte has been commemorated by white settlers who saw beauty and majesty in the prominent landmark.

He stood there countless ages, While red men roamed the plains And Buffalo and antelope Grazed over vast domains.

The small unincorporated community of Thunder Butte is located near this river junction at these geographical coordinates: Lat.

Besides the Ludlow Formation, buttes in this area are capped by the Tongue River formations, White River Group sediments, and clinker beds formed by the combustion of coal seams which bake the surrounding rock into a hard erosion resistant layer.