We've got some good news just in time for the summer hiking season: Butte Creek Falls is about to re-open after being closed since 2020 due to wildfires! We love hiking, waterfalls, and forest bathing in general, so we're beyond excited to bring this news to you.
Butte Creek Falls To Open Years After Beachie Creek Fire
In August and September of 2020, in the midst of the first full year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Beachie Creek Fire became one of Oregon's most devastating fires. What started as three separate fires (Beachie Creek, Lionshead, and P-515), became one massive fire driven by fierce winds as the three merged, burning over 400,000 acres. 1,500 structures were burned to the ground. The towns of Detroit, Gates, Lyons, Idanha and Mill City - gone. And most tragic and devastating of all, five people lost their lives.
Today, in 2024, the recovery effort after this massive fire is still on-going. Roads, trails, neighborhoods, towns, and families affected by the fire are still trying to recover and rebuild.
We're happy to report that one recovery effort is bringing back the trail to Butte Creek Falls. The upper and lower falls at Butte Creek were lucky to escape the fire's touch, but the fires and trails leading into the area were all damaged by the fire and had to be closed for the safety of the public. More than 20 miles of road in the area across multiple road systems were affected and had to be restored by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF).
ODF crews have been working diligently to get debris off the trails, repair foot bridges, and remove hazardous burned trees alongside the road. Crews have also started to plant new trees to replace those that were burned.
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Please note that the High Lakes Recreation Area is still off-limits while work continues to restore the area.
When will Butte Creek Falls re-open? The Butte Creek Falls Recreation area will re-open on June 21st, 2024, and will include a new 100-yard shooting range.
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