Oregon · Hiking

Buteo Drop

Buteo DropPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
1.6 mi
round trip
617 ft
climb
890 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Oct
best months

Is Buteo Drop open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

As of · Source: USFS · Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Buteo Drop is a short, easy out-and-back hike in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon, managed by the Forest Service. The route is about 1.6 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 617 feet, and it reaches a high point of 890 feet. The climb is rolling, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.6 miles in, with a grade of 14 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Cascade Locks show July highs around 80°F and lows near 56°F, while winter highs sit in the low 40s. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the higher ground run cooler. The hike takes about an hour. Pandion Drift and Jokulhlaup are both within a third of a mile, and Wyeth Campground is about 2.3 miles away. Herman Creek, a canoeing spot, is roughly 2.8 miles off.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit Buteo Drop

    Best months: April–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

      42° / 33°

    2. Feb

      48° / 34°

    3. Mar

      54° / 36°

    4. Apr

      61° / 41°

    5. May

      68° / 47°

    6. Jun

      73° / 52°

    7. Jul

      80° / 56°

    8. Aug

      82° / 57°

    9. Sep

      76° / 51°

    10. Oct

      63° / 45°

    11. Nov

      50° / 39°

    12. Dec

      43° / 33°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cascade Locks, OR, 2.7 mi away at 142 ft. The station sits about 700 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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Pandion DriftPhoto: Bonnie Moreland (free images), Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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Herman CreekPhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

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