Kicking Butler

Hiking Butler Peak in the San Bernardino Mountains

When you reach the fire lookout tower that crowns 8,535-foot Butler Peak, you reach a 360-degree panoramic view that captures the grandeur of SoCal’s most epic mountain ranges—the towering ridges of the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the daunting peaks of the San Gabriels to the west. The hike is 9.1 miles (round-trip), with 1,532 feet of elevation gain. The Forest Service website notes that the fire road to Butler Peak is closed to vehicle traffic, but don't worry; it's open to hikers. Contact the Big Bear Discovery Center (909-382-2790) for the latest information.

The 80-year-old tower is one of seven fire lookout stations in the San Bernardino National Forest. Volunteer workers are sometimes at the lookout during the day and can explain how they track fires with mapping tools. Landform ID is a breeze, thanks to a book in the lookout with photos that detail exactly what mountains and features you’re seeing in every direction.

The trail up Butler is a fire road—a clear path to follow all the way to the top. There’s no official trailhead, but the open parking area and campground half a mile up fire road 2N13 is a great place to start. Just over a mile and a half into the trek you can clearly see the Hanna Rocks, a popular climbing spot, to the north. At this point there’s a fork in the trail and you’ll want to take a fishhook left to stay on the right track. Just before the peak is a series of switchbacks and a steep set of stairs that lead you up to the lookout. From there you can enjoy views of both Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead or look farther to Old Greyback and Cucamonga Peak.

The Forest Service website notes that the fire road to Butler Peak is closed to vehicle traffic, but don't worry; it's open to hikers. Contact the Big Bear Discovery Center (909-382-2790) for the latest information. From CA-210 take Exit 81 for CA-330 north. After 15.1 miles, continue onto CA-18 (toward Big Bear) for another 12.3 miles. Turn left on CA-38 west for 3.3 miles and then make another left at Rim of the World Dr. for 1.2 miles of dirt road. Turn left at the fork onto 2N13 and follow that for another half-mile to a parking area on the right. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View