Oregon · Hiking · Waldo Lake Wilderness

Taylor Butte

1.0 mi
round trip
576 ft
climb
5,813 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Taylor Butte open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Willamette National Forest. It doesn't name Taylor Butte, so check the source for the area it covers.

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

Taylor Butte is a short, easy hike in the Waldo Lake Wilderness, part of the Middle Fork Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest in Oregon. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is about a mile long, with a total elevation gain of about 576 feet. It is an out-and-back route, and the climb is steepest near the start, with a grade of about 30% at about 0.36 miles. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Odell Lake show July and August highs around 73 to 74°F, with only about three wet days a month. That station sits roughly 1,000 feet below the butte, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. The trail is on natural surface, and horses are allowed. Bikes are not. Field Lake and Helen Lake are both within a third of a mile. North Waldo campground is about 3.7 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Taylor Butte

    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

      35° / 20°

      14 wet · 10 snow

    2. Feb

      38° / 21°

      13 wet · 9 snow

    3. Mar

      42° / 24°

      14 wet · 8 snow

    4. Apr

      46° / 28°

      11 wet · 4 snow

    5. May

      55° / 34°

      9 wet · 1 snow

    6. Jun

      63° / 38°

      6 wet

    7. Jul

      73° / 44°

      3 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 42°

      3 wet

    9. Sep

      68° / 36°

      5 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 30°

      9 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      41° / 26°

      14 wet · 6 snow

    12. Dec

      34° / 20°

      15 wet · 10 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Odell Lake-East, OR, 18.2 mi away at 4,800 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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

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Jim Weaver Loop(waldo Lake)Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

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

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Route details

Distance
1.0 mi round trip
Climbing
About 576 ft
Summit
5,852 ft
Difficulty
Easy
Time
About 0.5 hours

Season

Season: Year-round.

Questions about this route

How long is the Taylor Butte on Taylor Butte?

About 1.0 mi round trip.

How much elevation gain is on the Taylor Butte?

About 576 ft of climbing round trip.

How hard is the Taylor Butte?

It is rated easy.

How long does the Taylor Butte take?

About 0.5 hours round trip.

When is the best time for the Taylor Butte?

Year-round.

Conditions and forecast on Taylor Butte

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.