Belle Fourche, meaning “Beautiful Forks,” was named by French explorers who passed through the area more than 200 years ago and saw the Redwater River join the Belle Fourche River. The Belle Fourche River begins in west central Wyoming, rises almost to Montana, then descends toward the northern Black Hills, passing Bear Butte and Fort Meade near Sturgis, South Dakota. Once called the North Fork of the Cheyenne River, it loops around the southern Black Hills, joins the Cheyenne River in west central South Dakota, and eventually flows into the Missouri. The river served early pioneers as a transportation route through an uncharted region, while this area near the local Round Up Grounds also served Native American tribes, mountain men, and trappers as a meeting and trading place. Just above the Redwater confluence, Hay Creek enters the waterway. Though usually placid, the area has experienced severe flooding throughout the community’s history, leading to the construction of a dike to protect downtown from spring thaws. The Belle Fourche River was featured in Dances with Wolves, filmed east of Bear Butte, and Belle Fourche was also mentioned in The Cowboys, reflecting the town’s history as the largest shipping point of cattle in America.