At a glance
#6 of 7 Hiking areas in CougarLocalGuideWorld score: 4.68
Rating breakdown
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5 ★56%
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4 ★44%
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3 ★0%
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2 ★0%
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1 ★0%
Quick facts
- What is the rating of Butte Camp Trailhead?
- Butte Camp Trailhead is rated 4.6 out of 5 based on 18 reviews.
- How does Butte Camp Trailhead rank in Cougar?
- Butte Camp Trailhead is #6 of 7 Hiking areas in Cougar by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
- Where is Butte Camp Trailhead located?
- Cougar, WA 98616, United States — 8.6 km from the center of Cougar.
- How can I contact Butte Camp Trailhead?
- Website: wta.org
This a pretty easy, but remote trail. It’s a relatively level trail with some short segments of mild inclines. I did not complete the trail, only went about halfway. The trail winds through the woods and connects to a few other trails along the way. There’s few places where you get a view of Mt. Saint Helens after the trailhead’s lava flow. It’s not the most grand trail, but it’s a very pleasant and undemanding walk.
Getting to the trail is somewhat difficult, Forest Service Road 8100 will get you there, but the road will give way to gravel. There’s little to no service there, take a physical map.
Getting to the trail is somewhat difficult, Forest Service Road 8100 will get you there, but the road will give way to gravel. There’s little to no service there, take a physical map.
Beautiful views across a debris field. With a look from this view point, Mt St Helen’s was burping a bit of steam!
Very nice hike, although the last mile up to the loowit trail is by far the hardest. Really makes you work for those gorgeous views.
Really cool hike. Starts on a rock/boulder field for a short distance then a gradual, gorgeous climb through the old forest.
Around Butte Camp Dome the route climbs about 450 ft in 0.6 mi. There’s another 1/2 mi to the timberline.
On Saturday (2021/10/30) the wind was pretty strong, like enough to knock you over if stumbled. I had hiking poles but didn’t use them (for no good reason-LOL). Otherwise, the weather was spectacular!
I talked with a hiker that was on & recommended a big clockwise loop that links the Toutle+Sheep Canyon+Butte Camp Trails.
Note: The AllTrails app says it’s the Red Rocks Pass Trailhead on Forest Road 8100 then it’s 1.1 mi on the Toutle trail to the Butte Camp Trail(head).
Around Butte Camp Dome the route climbs about 450 ft in 0.6 mi. There’s another 1/2 mi to the timberline.
On Saturday (2021/10/30) the wind was pretty strong, like enough to knock you over if stumbled. I had hiking poles but didn’t use them (for no good reason-LOL). Otherwise, the weather was spectacular!
I talked with a hiker that was on & recommended a big clockwise loop that links the Toutle+Sheep Canyon+Butte Camp Trails.
Note: The AllTrails app says it’s the Red Rocks Pass Trailhead on Forest Road 8100 then it’s 1.1 mi on the Toutle trail to the Butte Camp Trail(head).
This location is misnamed in Google Maps. The trailhead is actually called "Red Rock Pass Trailhead".
Visited here 7/22/19 to hike Butte Camp Trail and a little beyond. There are no bathrooms here and no handicap access.
Road turns to gravel about a mile from trailhead with small paved section near washes. There is road corrosion about half a mile in, so take caution when passing this area.
There is maybe 5+ parking spaces at the TH. This trail would be good for kids until you hit the ridge portion of the hike(steep drop offs and a small trail for a mile or half mile).
The obsidian flow area is very beautiful and almost immediate to the start of the trail. Also great views of Mt St Helen's in the obsidian flow area.
Ate some wild strawberries on trail. Saw lots of different kinds of mushrooms. The trail can be rocky at times.
I checked out the toutle trail on the butte camp trail junction. There is a canyon (about a mile in, dry this time of year) crossing here, not as bad as the ones on the loowit trail higher up although I could not see where the trail continued on out of the canyon. There is water on the trail on butte camp, but not too bad. There is also some running water on toutle trail.
The ridge portion of the hike is probably the scariest part if you are just doing butte camp. There is a great spot to sit and catch the sunrise right after the ridge.
Saw 3 mountain goats up high on the mountain. Watched them for a bit traveling from one side to the other.
Checked out the loowit in both directions for at least a mile each way you hit steep dry canyons this time of year. Did not feel like checking them out solo. Torwards june lake on loowit from butte camp area there are obsidian flow boulder fields to cross. Have a gps and follow the cairns.
Butte camp trail is more on the easy/ moderate side with the most hard portion being the ridge section.
Butte camp trail alone is probably about 8 miles total.
Arrived at 3:30am second car in the lot. Back at my car at 11:22am only car in the lot. Saw 2 trail runners and a backpacker on trail all I suspect were doing the loowit.
Hiked 12.48 miles with 2213 elevation gain. 7hrs 36 mins total time, 6hrs 17mins moving time.
Road turns to gravel about a mile from trailhead with small paved section near washes. There is road corrosion about half a mile in, so take caution when passing this area.
There is maybe 5+ parking spaces at the TH. This trail would be good for kids until you hit the ridge portion of the hike(steep drop offs and a small trail for a mile or half mile).
The obsidian flow area is very beautiful and almost immediate to the start of the trail. Also great views of Mt St Helen's in the obsidian flow area.
Ate some wild strawberries on trail. Saw lots of different kinds of mushrooms. The trail can be rocky at times.
I checked out the toutle trail on the butte camp trail junction. There is a canyon (about a mile in, dry this time of year) crossing here, not as bad as the ones on the loowit trail higher up although I could not see where the trail continued on out of the canyon. There is water on the trail on butte camp, but not too bad. There is also some running water on toutle trail.
The ridge portion of the hike is probably the scariest part if you are just doing butte camp. There is a great spot to sit and catch the sunrise right after the ridge.
Saw 3 mountain goats up high on the mountain. Watched them for a bit traveling from one side to the other.
Checked out the loowit in both directions for at least a mile each way you hit steep dry canyons this time of year. Did not feel like checking them out solo. Torwards june lake on loowit from butte camp area there are obsidian flow boulder fields to cross. Have a gps and follow the cairns.
Butte camp trail is more on the easy/ moderate side with the most hard portion being the ridge section.
Butte camp trail alone is probably about 8 miles total.
Arrived at 3:30am second car in the lot. Back at my car at 11:22am only car in the lot. Saw 2 trail runners and a backpacker on trail all I suspect were doing the loowit.
Hiked 12.48 miles with 2213 elevation gain. 7hrs 36 mins total time, 6hrs 17mins moving time.
Stunning view. Great mix of lava flow, forest, and alpine meadows. Trail to Butte Camp is a steady, moderate climb. The last mile up to the intersection of the Loowit trail is a bit steeper with switchbacks, but you won't find a closer view of St. Helens without climbing it. Good for spending a few hours doing a quick 7.5 mile up-and-back, or it's a great way to connect to the much larger trail system for all day or multiple day hikes.
No passes needed to park either. Only downside is that there are no toilet facilities at the trailhead.
No passes needed to park either. Only downside is that there are no toilet facilities at the trailhead.
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