California · Hiking

Butte Lake

18.5 mi
round trip
2,900 ft
climb
6,932 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is BUTTE LAKE open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Lassen National Forest. It doesn't name BUTTE LAKE, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Lassen National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Butte Lake is a long, steep out-and-back hike in California's Lassen National Forest, within the Eagle Lake Ranger District. The route is about 37 miles long, and it's an expert-level trip that climbs to a high point of 6,932 feet from a starting elevation of 6,923 feet. That makes it a back-loaded climb, with the steepest stretch at about 17 miles, and the total elevation gain and loss for the trip each run around 2,900 feet. The Forest Service manages the land. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Manzanita Lake weather station put July highs near 79°F with lows around 46°F, and the station sits roughly 1,200 feet below the high point, so temperatures on this trail run cooler. Winter there is cold, with January highs around 41°F and lows near 22°F. The hike takes about 14 hours. The Cone-Hay Mdws Caribou and Cone Lake hikes are both within 3 miles, and the Butte Lake Group and Butte Lake Stock Corral campgrounds are about 4.5 miles away.

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit BUTTE LAKE

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      41° / 22°

    2. Feb

      42° / 22°

    3. Mar

      46° / 24°

    4. Apr

      50° / 27°

    5. May

      61° / 35°

    6. Jun

      70° / 41°

    7. Jul

      79° / 46°

    8. Aug

      78° / 45°

    9. Sep

      72° / 41°

    10. Oct

      59° / 33°

    11. Nov

      47° / 26°

    12. Dec

      39° / 22°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Manzanita Lake, CA, 18.9 mi away at 5,750 ft. The station sits about 1,200 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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