Black Butte Trail

From the summit of Black Butte (6,325 feet), you will get a spectacular view of the surrounding area. Mt. Shasta towers to the east. The city of Mt. Shasta and the Sacramento River canyon are to the south. Mt. Eddy and the Klamath Mountains are to the west. The town of Weed, the Shasta Valley and Mt. Mclaughlin in Oregon are to the north. Black Butte is a steep, nearly treeless dome of hornblende andesite. It was formed about 10,000 years ago at about the same time as Shastina Crater on Mt. Shasta. A large crater first developed at the base of Mt. Shasta. Soon, very thick magma began to issue from the crater. Four successive eruptions of material with the consistency of cookie dough were forced above the crater rim. As the flow cooled, internal stress caused the lava to break into chunks that rolled down the side of the dome. Remnants of the solid core can be seen as crags near the summit. The trail is about 2.56 miles from the trailhead to the summit. The trail is maintained annually, however, the trail surface is extremely rocky and steep in places. There is no water available along the trail. There are also few shady spots along the trail and heat can be a factor in having an enjoyable hike during mid-summer. The total vertical climb from the trailhead to the summit is 1,845 feet.