Butterfly Peak

Butterfly Peak with Redshank, photo by Sharon Moore

Butterfly, photo by Steve Russell

Butterfly Peak with Redshank, Photo by Sharon Moore.

Peak Name

Butterfly Peak

28M

Elevation

6240

feet

Status

active

Region

Desert Divide

Range

San Jacinto Mountains

Nearby peaks

Ken Point, Rock Point

Location

33.6225258,-116.5827945

Description

Butterfly Peak and its neighbors mark the end of the Desert Divide that began at Mount San Jacinto. A trip to Butterfly Peak takes one up slopes dotted with green chaparral, outstanding outcrops, impressive rock walls, and numerous mine ruins. The area is rich with mining history, and was part of a notorious 1896 swindle. You can read about its history when passing the sign at Gold Hill. It has nice views of Garner Valley below, Palomar Mountain in the distance to the southwest, and the Anza Borrego Desert to the south.

Route 1 follows a good trail to the summit, with some mine ruins to explore. Route 2 starts from Santa Rosa Summit and follows the PCT to a junction with trails to Ken Point to the southwest and continues west to Butterfly on old road trail that can be very brushy in parts.

Maps generated from CalTopo.com, reproduced with permission

Downloadable Maps, Files, and Guides

Route 1

Elevation Gain

1700′

Navigation Difficulty

Moderate

Distance

6 miles round trip on trail, road, and cross-country

Estimated time

4-5 hours round trip

Route Rating

Class 2, moderate

Leader Rating Required

“I”, normal conditions

Driving route

Take I-10 or SR 60 east to SR 79 in Beaumont. Take exit south to SR 79.
Go south on SR 79 to the Ramona Expressway. Turn left (east).
Go east and then southeast on the Ramona Expressway until it ends at SR 74. Turn left (east).
Go east on SR 74 to Mountain Center (junction with Idyllwild Highway – SR 243).
Continue east on SR 74 for 10.1 miles to Toolbox Springs Road on the left. Turn left. Note your odometer and go as follows:
At 0.6 mile, fork. Go left on Butterfly Mountain Road.
At 0.8 mile, fork. Go right on Table Mountain Road.
At 1.0 mile, a narrow dirt road on the right, with a “private property” sign. All vehicles must park here along Table Mountain Road.
The route is generally clear of brush.

Hiking route

From the parking area (4560’+), hike southeast on the paved road for about 150 yards to a T intersection in front of a house.
Turn left and hike along a fence. After about 1/8 mile, the road turns sharply right at a locked gate, and goes uphill.
Keep right at a fork and continue on to another fork just southeast of Gold Hill (on topo, about 1 mile). This is the turnoff for Rock Point.
Hike up the left fork past a mine shaft and equipment (non-operating) to its end at another mineshaft, approximately 2 miles from the cars.
Go about 15 yards past the shaft to a brushed-out and ducked miner’s trail.
Follow this trail steeply up to the top of a ridge and curve around a bump on your left until you come to a saddle between the bump on your left and the ridgeline coming down from the top of Butterfly summit.
From the saddle follow the ducks going northwest and down into a shallow canyon.
From there the use trail contours in a northerly direction below the western slopes of the rocky summit ridge heading for a small gully. Eventually, the ducked route bears right (northeast) near the base of the gully and ascends the slope to the ridge.
Turn left and continue a short distance to the summit.

Route Notes

Printable Route

Road Type

Paved

Google Maps Link to Trailhead

Route 2

Elevation Gain

4300′ total, 3700′ out plus 600′ on return

Navigation Difficulty

Moderate

Distance

19 miles round trip on road, trail, and cross-country including Ken Point.

Estimated time

10-11 hours round trip

Route Rating

Class 2, strenuous

Leader Rating Required

“I”, normal conditions

Driving route

See the driving instructions for Ken Point Route 1.

Hiking route

See the Ken Point guide for climbing Route 1.
From the first road crossing on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), turn left and go west about 1/2 mile to an intersection in the center of a canyon.
Turn right and go north along this road to a fork.
Go left on a 4WD road keeping left at a fork. This road turns right (northwest) at a corral.
Continue to where the road turns left, leave it on the right and follow the ridge up to the summit.
Retrace your steps back to the center of the canyon. Now take the right fork and follow it up past Tunnel Spring to the PCT in a saddle.
Turn right and go a short distance and pass through a gate. Here you will rejoin Ken Point Route 1.

Route Notes

Printable Route