The Wagner Butte Trail, starting at 4,960 feet and reaching 7,140 a top Wagner Butte, is 10.4 miles round trip with 2,200 feet of elevation gain. Some people consider this hike to be a difficult hike.
Carry food and water. We'll plan on lunch at the top of Wagner Butte.
Walking poles are recommended especially for extra stability with small creek crossings, sometimes with some mud, but only enough water to get your shoes wet if you accidentally step in the creek.
The final 0.1 mile becomes almost a rock scramble to reach the top of Wagner Butte. For most of the rock scramble, the easiest and most commonly used route is visible. Some rocks are a bit loose, so firm footing is essential. On the last few steps, grab the handrail.
On the top of Wagner Butte, our lunch stop, spread out and take in one of the most breathtaking views around!
The Weather Forecast for Wagner Butte: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-122.769&lat=42.127
At 9:45am, we'll meet at the Ray's Food Place in Talent (215 E Wagner St, Talent, OR 97540). From there, we'll carpool up Wagner Creek Road. It's 11 miles to the trailhead. The last 6 miles is Forest Road 22, a well-maintained gravel road with a little washboarding and practically no pot holes.
At every intersection on the gravel road choose the best maintained and widest road. Some of the gravel is loose, and it's possible to slide a bit, especially when we return downhill.
The last mile before the trailhead, there are a few fallen trees partially blocking the road.
Park in the large pullout on the right opposite the trailhead after 6 miles on the gravel road. Watch for potholes in the pullout!
The trail starts steeply through forest that seems on the drier side. After not too long, the trail joins an old logging road. At first, it's level, but then it becomes a steady climb.
As a meadow comes into view on the right, the steepness of the trail lets up. The meadow is so beautiful, you may want to take a picture or two. The trail goes around the meadow before crossing the upper portion of the meadow.
The forest is more lush, with a green understory, and the trail alternates between meadows and forests including crossing the Sheep Creek Slide, a landslide that occurred in 1983 because of rain from a thunderstorm.
The trail becomes steep again as the trail climbs out of the last meadow. From there, it's a steady climb, but not too steep through mainly forest for about a mile to the first switchback.
Just before the first switchback, the trail emerges from the forest with views looking south toward the Siskiyou Mountains.
At the first switchback, half of the elevation gain is complete. The next third of a mile is a series of 10 turns (and switchbacks) that change direction back and forth up the mountain.
After the 10th turn, the views become better and better, it's another third of a mile to a junction in the trail.
Turn left, at the trail junction, there is signage for Wagner Butte.
The last 1.9 miles is a more gradual climb that leads up to a grove of aspens, and then the trail descends for a bit to another small creek in the forest.
The final portion of the trail takes us past Cold Spring, a large metal trough that is empty in a meadow. The trail briefly enters the forest one more time.
Emerging from the forest, look ahead for a rock outcropping peeking above the trees just left of trail. This is Wagner Butte, less than a half mile away.
Step over the only log 0.1 mile from the top.
The return is the way we came. Turn right at the trail junction 1.9 miles from the top of Wagner Butte.
