Buttes
Photo: indigoprime, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 3.4 mi
- round trip
- 72 ft
- climb
- 5,315 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- best months
Is Buttes open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests · USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
As of · Source: USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
The Buttes is a moderate, 3.4-mile out-and-back hike in the Pawnee Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in Colorado. It climbs from about 5,147 feet to about 5,315 feet, a gain of 72 feet, and the trail is a natural surface. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open year-round. The parking area is called the Pawnee Buttes Trailhead. The most comfortable months are typically late spring and early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at New Raymer put May highs around 68°F and September highs around 77°F. July is the warmest month, with highs near 87°F, and winter highs sit around 41°F. The Lips Bluff Trail lies about half a mile away, and the Pawnee Grasslands climbing area is about 1.4 miles off.
Lips Bluff TrailHikingPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)0.5 mi
Pawnee GrasslandsRock climbingPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)1.4 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Lips Bluff TrailHiking · Next doorPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Fishing Pond LoopHiking · ~1h 8m drivePhoto: Barbara Brannon, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Sheep Draw Natural Area TrailHiking · ~1h 23m drivePhoto: greeleygov, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)- Signature Bluffs TrailHiking · ~1h 24m drivePhoto: greeleygov, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
Cottonwood Loop TrailHiking · ~1h 25m drivePhoto: greeleygov, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)- Cvra Mourning Dove TrailHiking · ~37 min drive
- Cvra BirdwalkHiking · ~37 min drive
- Lakeside to Swimbeach TrailHiking · ~52 min drive
- Swim Beach TrailHiking · ~1h 5m drive
- South Shoreline TrailHiking · ~1h 5m drive
Best time to visit Buttes
Best months: May–June and September–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.
Jan
41° / 14°
4 wet
Feb
42° / 15°
5 wet
Mar
52° / 23°
6 wet
Apr
59° / 29°
9 wet
May
68° / 39°
12 wet
Jun
80° / 49°
10 wet
Jul
87° / 55°
10 wet
Aug
86° / 53°
9 wet
Sep
77° / 44°
7 wet
Oct
62° / 32°
6 wet
Nov
50° / 21°
5 wet
Dec
41° / 14°
4 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at New Raymer 21 N, CO, 10.5 mi away at 5,180 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Route details
- Distance
- 3.4 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 72 ft
- Starts at
- Pawnee Buttes Trailhead (about 5,315 ft)
- Summit
- 5,401 ft
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Getting there
Park at Pawnee Buttes Trailhead.
Season
Season: Year-round.
Questions about this route
How long is the Buttes on Pawnee Buttes?
About 3.4 mi round trip from Pawnee Buttes Trailhead (about 5,315 ft).
How much elevation gain is on the Buttes?
About 72 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Buttes?
It is rated moderate.
Where does the Buttes start?
Pawnee Buttes Trailhead (about 5,315 ft).
When is the best time for the Buttes?
Year-round.
Conditions and forecast on Pawnee Buttes
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
