Looking for Hiking Info around Black Butte

[Wopper]

I am headed down to Black Butte Ranch next weekend for a mellow 3 days with the wife. Neither of us has been in this particular area before. I am wondering if anyone has any info on some good hikes/snowshoeing around there. We are not interested in going to Bend or Smith and thought we would take the opportunity to explore a different area. Gracias.

[bballer44]

you can start by hiking up black butte, which is within pissing distance of the ranch. it is a nice hike. great views of the sisters, broken top, bachelor, and the rest of the cascades up to mt. adams on a clear day. also there is river that emerges from a cave near there. it is called hole in the wall or something similar. go to ranger station in the town of sisters i think. they will set you up with some good stuff. i think most of the snow is melted from lower areas so hiking should be on dirt, rock, whatever...

have a good time...it is a beautiful area

[ 04-06-2002: Message edited by: bballer44 ]

[nolanr]

For me it's pretty hard being in that neck of the woods w/out venturing over to play around the Sisters/Broken Top. Not sure exactly where Black Butte Ranch is in relation, but it's gotta be pretty close. I know of at least a short trail following the Deschutes, it may extend considerably farther than I followed it. I agree, checking in at a Ranger Station would be a good bet to get ideas.

[MysticNacho]

Black Butte is definitely a good hike, you can drive half way up if the road is good. Also, if you're willing to drive a bit farther, check out some of the Bend Lava Caves, I highly recommend!

[Dan_Harris]

Skylight Cave is right in the area. Start south on FR 2060 right by Black Butte. Get a map and further directions from the Forest Service Office in Sisters. There is a guide book titled "Central Oregon Caves." The river that flows right out of the side of the hill is the Metolius River. FWIW that is where the climbing gear company took their name. They started in a garage in Camp Sherman just downstream for the headwaters.

[ 04-07-2002: Message edited by: Dan Harris ]

[bballer44]

thanks dan,i couldnt remember the name. have you seen the river? it is pretty amazing.

also the caves in the area are worth checking out.

another place to hike is another butte called " xxxx butte" it is south of bend. it offers great views of the area and lava beds. you can drive to the top or take the shuttle which is free. there is a hiking trail along the deschutes that ends at some pretty impressive falls. flat hike, couple of miles. if you want to drive a bit further go down to fort rock. it is an amazing chunck of rock in the desert.also check out hole-in-the-ground which is on the way to fort rock...fort rock and hole in the ground

[ 04-07-2002: Message edited by: bballer44 ]

[Dan_Harris]

I have seen the headwaters and it is pretty amazing. I have also fished the stream with very little luck. It is one very cold stretch of water. It is Lava Butte just south of Bend that bballer refered to. If you are down that way, the High Desert Museum is a great place to visit.

Lava River Cave near Lava Butte is like a large tunnel and tends to get crowded since it is right off U.S. 97. South Ice cave was pretty neat, make sure you have good maps and keep track of where you are as it is way back on some Forest Service roads. Might want to bring a helmet. I never did find Skylight Cave. It was spring and there was still a bit of snow on the ground so I probably got turned around.

[Country_Jake]

I haven't been over there in a few weeks so I don't know how the snow is but black butte it self is nice, there is a little look out shelter on top, that if its open is a great place to go for a short hike and eat lunch... You can check out black crater great to snow shoe to if the hyway aint closed... if you can't dirve to them the Squaws back ridges are a nice place to hike around on... tumalo falls is a nice hike, but its up around bend... you can do some snow shoeing around big lake, right next to hoodoo ski resort... PCT runs right by big lake, and MT. Washington sits there looking at you...If you decide to go check out the Metolius River there is a nice hike from creek canyon to the fish hatchery, it passes right by wizard falls... although it is not much of a falls...

[Country_Jake]

forgot to mention... Food... Black Butte's bar and restaurant is good, but my favorite breakfast place is the gallary in sisters.... The sisters hotel, has great lunches, and the bar is normaly hopin on a fri & sat night... in the summer anyway... there is an elk ranch just out side of town... kinda cool to check out... although the bulls have lost their horns for the year...