The Oracle

The Oracle is a feature treated as sacred by many.

J. Borden

Quick Facts

Location:

Roughly a third of a mile from the Visitor Center, almost half way around the trail

Significance:

Some American Indians treat this as a sacred feature and leave offerings here. It is important to not go beyond the overlook if you climb the stairs.

Amenities

1 listed

Wheelchair Accessible

Climbing the steps provides a good vantage point for viewing The Oracle – the profile of a face that can be seen in the rocks. A story has been told that quarriers left offerings for The Oracle in exchange for wisdom. Some Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate tribal members interviewed in the 1990s stated a belief that Lyle Linch, an early park superintendent, invented the idea of The Oracle for tourists in the 1940s. However, some tribal members also stated that the feature was - and still is - traditionally important to them. Just like any feature in a sacred space, its impact is personal to the one having that experience. Offerings are left near The Oracle today.