The Sutter Buttes were formed a very long time ago. The highest point is 2,132 feet above sea level. The Buttes played an important part in the lives of the Maidu Indians, who lived in villages within sight of the Buttes. They called them Histum Yani, the Spirit Mountain, and believed that their spirits went there after death. Scenic drive markers direct motorists around the exterior of the Sutter Buttes. The Buttes are privately owned and there is no public access to the interior. Guided walking tours are available through several naturalist organizations such as the Middle Mountain Foundation.