Estes Butte

This is a relativity little-used trail that offers great views down into the Chiwawa Valley with a backdrop of the Chiwawa Ridge and the Entiat Range from a former lookout site. Follow it through a forest of Douglas-fir, grand fir, Western hemlock and several species of pines and big leaf maple. This is a very dry trail with a southwest exposure so bring plenty of water with you.

Find trailhead at the northeast corner of the first loop in the Rock Creek Horse Camp. The first section of the trail is on an old mining road for a half-mile, until the foot trail heads off to your left, where a low rock berm signals the end of the road portion.

Once on true trail, you feel the steady gain going through a forest for the next three miles. There will be some peekaboo sites at the higher switchbacks where you look down solid rock cliffs to the valley below to the southeast. You will be hiking through a forest of cedar, fir, pine and vine maple. In the autumn the trail is covered with huge leaves from the big leaf maples. Also look for wild ginger, huckleberry and prickly current.

Once you've covered three miles, the trail levels off through poplar and pines and then another short gain to the lookout at 4.1 miles. The reward is the view of the Chiwawa Valley a half vertical mile below to the west, backed up by the Entiat Range, Glacier Peak and even Mount Baker poking up behind them on a clear day.

On your descent you will appreciate the trail's tread of duff on top of mineral soil that is easy on the legs and feet.