Bald Butte Hike

If it’s late spring or early summer and you’ve already hiked Hamilton Mountain and Dog Mountain, then this should be your next wildflower-seeking adventure.  Bald Butte, once the setting of a lookout tower, sits along Surveyors Ridge, a fault line that makes up the eastern edge of the Hood River Valley.  Besides the jaw-dropping views of Mount Hood, Bald Butte (like Dog Mountain) is located in an ecological transition zone where moist marine air from the west collides with dry continental winds from the east, making it a perfect home for a diverse population of flora. Beyond the obvious stands of yellow arrowleaf balsamroot and lupine, wildflowers throughout the hike include leafy peavine, red columbine, star Solomon’s seal, wild strawberry, and red-flowering currant.  The only downside to the hike is the major transmission lines you’ll have to pass under in order to get to the butte’s summit.  Once under the lines, the trail transitions into a four-wheel drive road simply heading up hill.  From the summit, the flowery meadow offers views not only of nearby Mount Hood, but also of Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams.