Kelly Butte Fire Lookout Trail #1031

This short climb up to a restored fire lookout may be a little tricky to get to, but the 360-degree views are well worth the effort.

This is a fun little hike, quickly delivering a short workout and some views. Despite the steep start, this hike is approachable for almost every hiker. The most challenging part of this hike is actually finding it. There are quite a few unmarked logging roads to deal with, and it is fairly easy to get turned around. Once you find the road to the trailhead, we really encourage you to park at the makeshift lot near the Kelly Butte Trail sign. While you can probably make it down the somewhat overgrown road to the base of the butte, the road is extremely narrow and there are no pullouts, making it impossible for two cars to pass each other on it. If you happen to encounter another car going the opposite direction, one of you will have to reverse all the way to either end of the road to make room.

There's a lot more to Kelly Butte, and you can learn all about it in Hiking through History Washington: Exploring the Evergreen State's Past by Trail. You'll find a trail map, route descriptions, history, and more for this and many other hikes throughout the State. Help support hikingwithmybrother.com and the work we do by picking up a copy!