Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

An old fire lookout stands at the summit of Black Butte, with Three Fingered Jack in the distance.

The mountain views start halfway up the side of Black Butte, and only get better from there.

Mount Washington is framed through pine tree branches. Mount Jefferson stands stately dressed in snow. The Three Sisters gracefully sweep across the horizon.

By the time you reach the top of Black Butte, you can see a wide swath of the Cascades in central Oregon: Broken Top, Three-Fingered Jack, Mount Hood in the distance. On a clear day, you might be able to see Mount Adams. Look closely and you can even spot pieces of a pair of hidden mountains: Mount Bachelor and Middle Sister, mostly obscured by other peaks.

Beneath all of those imposing mountains stands Black Butte itself, an extinct volcano that last erupted when mammoths roamed the landscape. At nearly 6,500 feet tall, it’s much shorter than volcanoes that surround it, making it easy for hikers to summit by trail.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The Three Sisters are seen from the summit of Black Butte, with Middle Sister obscured by North Sister.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Hikers ascend the Black Butte Trail in central Oregon, with Mount Washington visible in the distance

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Mount Jefferson is seen from the summit of Black Butte in central Oregon.

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Winding forest roads lead from U.S. Route 20 to the trailhead, where a dirt trail leads two miles to the top. With a steady and relentless incline, however, the hike can feel a lot longer than it really is.

The trail begins in a dense forest of lodgepole pine, curving up the western side of the butte before cutting back and curling up its southern face to the top. Halfway up, the trees disappear, opening a beautiful, expansive view to the southwest.

It’s this midway point on the hike – when you might also seek solace from the sun – that you can begin to understand the appeal of Black Butte.

It’s a hike that’s doable for inexperienced hikers, and just challenging enough to satisfy hardier adventurers. The trailhead is conveniently located about 30 minutes north of Sisters and an hour northwest of Bend. No gear is necessary to reach the top, where the views simply speak for themselves.

What really makes Black Butte complete is a pair of buildings at its summit. While many viewpoints offer little more than a nice panorama, Black Butte boasts two fire lookouts: a modern tower that’s actively staffed and an older unused shelter, both erected above the ancient volcanic rock.

The lookouts offer something else to look at (and take pictures of), though in the end your eye still wanders – past the buildings to the horizon beyond, where jagged peaks cut through the scene like sawblades in the sky. Stare long enough and you might be tempted to stay there, soaking in the mountain views forever.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The Black Butte Lookout stands at the summit of Black Butte.

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BLACK BUTTE HIKE

Distance: 4 miles, out and back

Difficulty: Moderate

Elevation gain: 1,535 feet

Amenities: Vault toilet, parking area at the trailhead



To get to the Black Butte Trailhead, take U.S. Route 20 north from Sisters for about five miles, then turn right onto Forest Road 11, following signs for Indian Ford. Stay on Forest Road 11 for 3.8 miles, then turn left onto Forest Road 1110. After four miles, take a sharp right to stay on Forest Road 1110, and follow it for one more mile to the trailhead.

The final mile of road is pretty rough. A car with four-wheel drive or high clearance definitely helps. Parking is limited at the trailhead, with enough space for only about a dozen vehicles. Consider going on a weekday or later in the day, if you can, though make sure to give yourself plenty of daylight to get up and back.

A wooden sign marks the start of the hike, and you’ll see two trails leading away from it. Make sure you take the trail on the left, leading uphill, to reach the summit. The other leads down to the bottom of Black Butte.

There are no junctions or side trails to worry about as you hike. Once you reach the summit, many user-made paths lead to the Black Butte Lookout tower, as well as a small white building that was used as an old lookout. There used to be a log cabin at the summit, but it fell into disrepair and was destroyed.

Once you soak in the views and rest, head back to the trail and make your way back down.

SEE MORE PHOTOS BELOW



--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The Three Sisters and Broken Top are seen from the trail near the summit of Black Butte, with Middle Sister obscured by North Sister.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

An old fire lookout stands at the summit of Black Butte central Oregon, with Three Fingered Jack and Mount Jefferson in the distance.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Two of the Three Sisters and Black Crater, seen from the top of Black Butte.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The Black Butte Trail ascends the southern side of Black Butte in central Oregon.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Mount Washington is seen through the trees on the Black Butte Trail.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Blackened trees stand on the east side of Black Butte in central Oregon, a scar from the Black Butte 2 fire in 2009.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Mount Washington breaks through the mist, seen from the summit of Black Butte in central Oregon.

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