Kwiskwis Butte 2408
Total Miles
12.9
Elevation
1,563.92 ft
Duration
1.25 Hours
Technical Rating
Best Time
Spring, Summer, Fall
Trail Overview
Kwiskwis Butte 2408 will take you down a 13.1-mile gradual 4000-foot climb to the top off Kwiskwis Butte which sits at an elevation of 4,593 feet and is located in the 1.7 million-acre Willamette National Forest. This beautiful scenic drive winds you in and out of areas from the Beachie Creek, Holiday Farm, and Lionsheads Fires which burned over 176,000 acres in the WNF in 2020. When using this road there are signs that state that there could be landslides, rockslides, falling trees, flash floods, and debris. There are large rocks, boulders, and trees that overhang the road and only have a 10-foot high clearance in some locations along with a very narrow road. This route is not recommended for cars, low clearance, or vehicles more than 10 feet tall. This may change if they cut some of the overhanging trees down which cross the road in several locations along this route. The views of Three Sisters, Mount Bachelor, and the Cascade Mountain Range are breathtaking. Capped with white glaciers, they can be seen on most of this route. There are several dispersed primitive campsites with no running water or restrooms and are first come first serve, some of which have stunning views of the mountains. The WNF is home to over 300 different wildlife species some of which include black bear, wolverine, raccoon, bald eagle, and cougar. Take your bear precautions with food as bears have been spotted in close proximity to this area. The weather in this region ranges in summer with warm and temperate conditions. In spring and fall the rainy season begins and winter brings deep snow which makes these roads impassable. The WNF has a pack it in and pack it out rule along with tread lightly principles. Let's help protect these forests and keep them green.
Photos of Kwiskwis Butte 2408
Difficulty
This road goes in and out of a forest fire area which was burned in 2020. There are several obstacles that lay over the road, boulders in the middle of the road, huge trees that cross the road and leave little clearance, steep drop-offs, and narrow sections. This road is impassable during the winter months due to deep snow.
History
President Roosevelt in 1907 worked hard to preserve sixteen million acres of land in this state. Here is a really nice article on historical information on the Willamette National Forest and the history of this old growth forest. https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/willamette_national_forest/