53 min
Overview
Rugged Horsethief Butte , part of Washington's expansive Columbia Hills State Park, looms above the glassy waters of Celilo Lake on this now becalmed stretch of the Columbia River. It is composed of hexagonal columns of Wanapum basalt flows, about 15 million years old, which were scoured and cleansed of most of their soil by the Bretz Floods at the end of the last Ice Age. Rock climbing groups take over the Butte on spring weekends, but the flower displays are worth the crowded battlements. In any case, the rock climbers stick to a few sheer faces, and you may wander in the gullies, search out Native American pictographs, and scramble to the Butte's windy summit . A network of trails allows for interesting explorations among the rocks, but look out for poison oak and rattlesnakes! Those with young children or who have strong sensitivity to poison oak should stick to the central defile and plateau of the Butte itself rather than attempt the route around the base. Avoid the Butte on hot summer days, when the rock reflects heat and makes an oven out of the narrow ravines.
Trail Stats
2.7 km
76 m
152 m
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Photos
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