Trail Overview
Black Butte Backdoor - NF1012-500 is an easy, 4.4-mile gravel and dirt trail perfect for scenic cruisers and off-roaders looking for a relaxed, direct route connecting the Sisters area to the Black Butte Ranch. Paralleling Highway 20, this scenic Forest Service road offers a flat, gentle path with minimal elevation changes, hovering between 3,250 and 3,300 feet. The route is highly accessible for standard high-clearance four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicles, requiring no specialized off-road modifications. It provides a quiet, dirt-and-gravel alternative to the paved highway, winding through towering pines and offering a peaceful, slow-paced journey through the Deschutes National Forest.
The trail consists primarily of a well-maintained two-track and gravel surface with minimal obstacles, making it an excellent warm-up or transit route when exploring the regional trail network. Traveling from south to north starting near Highway 242, the route gently descends approximately 60 feet over its entire length. The northern end of NF1012-500 terminates at an electronic security gate entering the private Black Butte Ranch property. Because passing through this gate requires a current owner or guest access code, travelers without authorized access should plan to use this trail as an out-and-back route or turn around before the property boundary.
Access Description
An electronic gate at the northern end of NF1012-500 restricts access into the private Black Butte Ranch property. Passing through this gate requires a current owner or guest access code; otherwise, travelers must use the trail as an out-and-back route.
