Pilot Butte
Description
WikipediaPilot Butte is a cinder cone that was created from an extinct volcano located in Bend, Oregon. It is a cinder cone butte which rises nearly 500 feet (150 m) above the surrounding plains. Bend is one of six cities in the United States to have a volcano within its boundaries. The other examples are Mount Tabor in Portland, Oregon, Jackson Volcano in Jackson, Mississippi, Diamond Head in Honolulu, Glassford Hill in Prescott Valley and Pilot Knob in Austin, Texas. The 114.22-acre (46.22-hectare) Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint, presented as a gift to the State of Oregon in 1928, is a Bend icon. Pilot Butte itself is a popular hiking destination with two trails to the summit, each gaining about 490 ft (150 m) in elevation. There is also a 1.8-mile (2.9 km) trail around the base of the butte. A scenic road also winds up and around the cone. In 2018, the park was the most visited Oregon state park east of the Cascade Mountains. From the top, the entire city of Bend is visible, as well as several major Cascade peaks including Mount Bachelor, Broken Top, and the Three Sisters, located about 20 mi (32 km) to the west. Bend launches fireworks from Pilot Butte every Independence Day.
Best months
Hiking score 0–100 · 10-yr climate averagesNeighbouring summits
| Name | Elevation | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overturf Butte | 1,183 m | W 258° | 4.7 km |
Climbing routes
nearest first| Route | Area | Grade | From summit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dirty Neighbor | Homeless Shelter, The | V3 | 3.2 km |
| Frye Sauce | Homeless Shelter, The | V4-5 | 3.2 km |
| Tongue in Cheek | Stevens Cave | V5-6 | 3.4 km |
| Baby Behemoth | Stevens Cave | V6-7 | 3.4 km |
| Dr. Dog | Stevens Cave | V3-4 | 3.4 km |
| Martin's Problem | Stevens Cave | V4 | 3.4 km |
| Behemoth | Stevens Cave | V7-8 | 3.4 km |
| Unknown 5.9 | Sawyer Park | 5c | 3.6 km |
| Sponge Crack | Deschutes River Cliffs | 6a+ | 4.2 km |
| Pursuit of Happiness | Deschutes River Cliffs | 7a | 4.2 km |
| Pancake House | Deschutes River Cliffs | 6b | 4.2 km |
| Freddy's Direct | Freddy's Bedroom | V2 | 5.1 km |
| Thirst for Knowledge | Riverside Boulders | V2-3 | 5.2 km |
| Get Dunked | Riverside Boulders | V3 | 5.2 km |
| Typhoon | Riverside Boulders | V7 | 5.2 km |
| Glass Archer | Riverside Boulders | V11 | 5.2 km |
| Lightning strike | Hallway, The | V1+ | 5.2 km |
| Falcon | Hallway, The | V1+ | 5.2 km |
| Lilly's traverse | Hallway, The | V0 | 5.2 km |
| Hunter's Chip! | Hallway, The | V2+ | 5.2 km |
| Off Kilter | Depot, The | V2 | 5.2 km |
| Allegory of the Blood | Depot, The | V10 | 5.2 km |
| Special K | Depot, The | V2 | 5.2 km |
| Mr. Anderson | Depot, The | V-easy | 5.2 km |
| Red Moon (Aka Right Arete) | Depot, The | V8 | 5.2 km |