Horsethief Butte Day Hike
-Trail Name: Horsethief Butte
-Enter/Exit Point: Horsethief Butte Trailhead
-Trail Type: Lollipop
-Difficulty Level: Moderate due to boulder climbing
-Distance: 1-2 miles depending on open trails
-Elevation: up to 498’
-Guide: https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Horsethief_Butte_Hike
-Review: Horsethief Butte is right off of Washington State Highway 14 a few miles east of it’s connection with Highway 97. A Discovery Pass is needed to park but day passes are available at a kiosk in the parking area. A pit toilet and trash can are available at the parking area.
The hike begins with a level walk SW where the view opens up to the mighty Columbia River and Horsethief Lake below. In the spring wild flowers abound and lizards and snakes can be easily found in the warmer summer months. I hiked counter clockwise when the trail branched off and hiked south and then east until the “water view” which had the trail closed shortly after. We backtracked and began to climb up toward the rocky butte where multiple petroglyphs can be seen but please enjoy them from afar. If you wish to continue the loop at this point you will follow the rock trail north where it will sharply descend down a large boulder field before reconnecting to the obvious trail below in the large meadow. From here you can connect back with the stem of the lollipop and continue back to the parking lot.
-Rating: Hike it!
Rating Guide:
-Gram it: Check out the pictures on Instagram because this one is not worth seeing in person
-Hike it: It’s short and sweet. Might as well knock it out in a day
-Bag it: Pack a bag and spend the night
-Bring a friend: Easy enough to bring a friend. Maybe this is where you can introduce someone to backpacking.
-Come Back: I will keep doing this trip it’s so good.
Mt Hood behind Horsethief Lake