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Hiking Gray Butte from Smith Rock State Park

February 11, 2020 By Jeffrey Hester Leave a Comment

Mount Hood in the distance

Gray Butte is not particularly rugged nor jagged. The soft-shouldered butte is home to a cluster of antennas and a utility road the climbs there. But this 13.3 mile out-and-back route begins and ends in beautiful Smith Rock State Park, taking you down across the Crooked River before climbing out of the park, across a private land easement, and into the Crooked River National Grassland where Gray Butte stands tall over Central Oregon.

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Trail Details
Summit Elevation: 5,108′
Distance: 13.3 miles
Time: 5-7 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 2,830 ft
Dogs: Yes
When to go: Fall through Spring
What the summit itself lacks in excitement, it makes up for with the stunning 360-degree views. My buddy Ben and I tackled this during the last days of December, and although it was overcast, we had amazing panoramic views of the Cascade Mountains, from Mount Bachelor to Mount Hood.

This trail is considered strenuous mainly for the net vertical gain and the distance, but the climb itself is moderate, with no overly steep or gnarly sections.

Getting to the Trailhead

We began at the Smith Rock State Park visitor center in Terrebonne, Oregon (get driving directions here). The parking at this popular park fills up early, especially on nice weekends. In late December, we had plenty of parking, although it was full by the time we returned to our car in the afternoon. If you don’t have an annual Oregon State Parks pass, there is a self-serve fee station where you can purchase a day pass to put on your dashboard. At the time of writing, it cost $5 to park for the day, a one-year Oregon Park State Pass was $30 and a two-year pass $50. Annual passes are available for sale in the Visitor Center when it’s open.

Hiking to Gray Butte

Beginning at the Visitor Center, head about 0.2 miles north on the Rim Rock Trail (parallel to the road), then turn left (northwest) on the Valley Trail. This begins as a paved trail and is a magnet for tourists as it’s the main route down to the river. There is a pit toilet just before the bridge should you need it. The views of the canyon from the bridge never fail to amaze.

Crossing the Crooked River in Smith Rock State Park

Once you cross the bridge, turn right and follow the Wolf Tree Trail.

Wolf Tree Trail

This trail winds along beside the Crooked River for about 1.25 miles before connecting with the Burma Road Trail. Now the climbing begins.

A little snow on the trail
Starting the climb on the Burma Road Trail
Lower Burma Road

The trail exits Smith Rock State Park and follows Burma Road alongside a canal that actually tunnels through the mountain. You climb two switchbacks on this double-track utility road, with the views opening up as you climb higher. From here you get an incredible view of not only Smith Rock State Park, but the Cascade Range to the west.

Smith Rock and the Cascade Mountains

Look closely at this photo and check out the “wave”-like clouds in the distance. I had never seen anything like them before.

At roughly 2.25 miles in you reach the junction with the Summit Trail (which descends to the left and you do not take) and the Gray Butte Trail to the right. The next three miles are relatively flat as the trail winds long the north-face of Eagle’s Nest to the Gray Butte Saddle Junction.

Gray Butte in the distance
Panoramic view of the Cascades from the Gray Butte Trail
Panoramic view
Livestock gate
Please close the gate

From the junction, you have two options. There is a trail that winds around the north side of Gray Butte, or you can take the double-track utility road up the south side. We opted to turn left on the dirt double-track and follow that to the summit, since there had been some snow recently and the north side was certain to hold more of it.

Looking down the trail as we climb Gray Butte

This winds its way up to the summit where there is a small cluster of antennas. This rounded summit of Gray Butte is 5,108′ high with 1,908′ of prominence, making it a great spot for 360-degree views of much of Central Oregon.

Mount Hood in the distance
Looking west from the summit
Jeff and Ben at the summit
Jeff & Ben at the summit

The summit is a great place to take a break and refuel. You have hiked half the total distance. The trip back is mostly downhill, with a climb out of the canyon from Smith Rock at the very end. This is also where Ben and agreed this would be a fun mountain bike trek, and in fact, mountain bikes and horses are allowed.

We hiked this in late December and once we headed uphill, only saw two people on the way. On our way back, we began to see more and more people, especially as we got back to Smith Rock State Park.

This trail was a great way to get a good overview of Smith Rock State Park, but kept away from the crowds for 99% of the route.

Gray Butte Trail Map & Elevation Profile

© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: smith-rock-welcome-center-to-gray-butte.gpx

 

Additional Gray Butte Tips and Resources

  • Smith Rock State Park – official website
  • Crooked River National Grassland – official website
  • Carry the 10 essentials
  • Learn more about the Central Oregon Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge

Smith Rock State Park Weather Forecast

The location could not be found.

Originally hiked on December 27, 2019. Special thanks to my friend Ben for joining me! 

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 11+ miles, Central Oregon, Crooked River National Grassland, dog-friendly, Gray Butte, Oregon, out-and-back, peak, peakbagging, Six-Pack of Peaks, Smith Rock State Park, strenuous

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