Steptoe Butte

Steptoe Butte is a quartzite butte in southeastern Washington that rises sharply above the Palouse, standing apart from the surrounding basalt landscape and helping give geology the term “steptoe” for isolated bedrock summits through lava flows. An outlier of Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene Mountains, it is known for sweeping views that can extend 70 to 100 miles and for recreation such as sightseeing, photography, and gliding. Named for Colonel Edward Steptoe, the butte later saw a summit hotel from 1888 to 1908. Public protection began in 1946, expanded in 2021, and its significance is further recognized through the Steptoe and Kamiak Buttes National Natural Landmark.

Washington · United States