Bald Butte Wildflowers Venture A30

Bald Butte towers above the Hood River Valley near Parkdale and the hamlet of Mt Hood.   Curious Gorge 4 details how to access the upper slope trailhead to explore Bald Butte as well as some options how to explore the wildflower-strewn lowers slopes of the mountain.

Below is a map of the basic minimum route to the top of Bald Butte from the upper trailhead.

Bald Butte overview 2

The overview below shows a route to explore a bit lower, making an off-trail loop through the extensive upper wildflower slope.

Bald Butte overview 1

The views below shows a longer more-advanced off-trail route.  The flowery slope descends steeply through a cornucopia of bloom.  If you head towards the short gully you can take a game path through the gully then traverse the next side-slope to intersect the steep powerline road grade which you’ll then take back up to the trailhead.  This off-trail route obviously requires route-finding skills – there are no trails at all on Bald Butte’s flower-strewn lower slopes.

Bald Butte adventure loop 1

Bald Butte adventure loop 2

Below are various photos of the extensive views and wildflower blooms on the slopes of Bald Butte, above Mt Hood Hamlet and Parkdale Oregon.

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Below is the lookout tower that once presided up Bald Butte.  Curious Gorge has the details of its history and demise, and what you can look for today up atop Bald Butte.

 

Bald Butte LO tower

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