Sierra Buttes
Photo: Ken Lund — CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- 3.3 mi
- round trip
- 1,208 ft
- climb
- 7,917 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Sierra Buttes open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Tahoe National Forest.
Camping and Campfire Restrictions-Truckee and Sierraville Districts
Agency alert covering Tahoe National Forest · Order 17-25-05 · USFS · Tahoe National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Tahoe National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Sierra Buttes is a moderate out-and-back hike in California's Tahoe National Forest, within the Yuba River Ranger District. The trail is about 3.3 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 1,208 feet, taking you from a low point of about 6,693 feet to a high of about 7,917 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced and open year-round. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the Sagehen Creek weather station, about 25 miles away, show July highs near 80°F with lows around 37°F. That station sits roughly 1,600 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the summit run cooler. The Tamarack Connection starts just 0.1 mile away, and the Sierra Buttes Lookout Trail is about half a mile off. For an overnight stay, Packsaddle campground is about a mile away. Climbers can head to Free For All Valley, roughly 2.2 miles from the trail.
Local outfitters
- Alpenglow Expeditions36 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun–Aug
Best time to visit Sierra Buttes
Best months: June–August. 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.
Jan
40° / 15°
Feb
41° / 15°
Mar
48° / 19°
Apr
53° / 22°
May
62° / 28°
Jun
72° / 32°
Jul
80° / 37°
Aug
79° / 35°
Sep
73° / 31°
Oct
61° / 24°
Nov
49° / 20°
Dec
39° / 14°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sagehen Creek, CA, 25.4 mi away at 6,337 ft. The station sits about 1,600 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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