Tarzan Butte by Teanaway Butte rises above Jungle Creek and Rye Creek near Johnson Mountain. The expansive Stuart Range spans above Ingalls Creek. Meanwhile, the popular Twentynine Pines Campground rests at the east foothills.
See more trip photos here.
Tarzan Butte at a Glance
Access: NF-9701
Round Trip: 7.8 miles
Elevation Range: 2640′-4385′
Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
The Preface
The weather had worsened since the first week of November. So after last Sunday’s outing, we went to dodge the rain east of the mountains this weekend. This time, we explored Tarzan Butte west of the Teanaway River.
We traveled to Teanaway Butte six years ago on a misty day. But I don’t recall much from that outing because of the terrible weather. I also don’t remember seeing the nearby Tarzan Butte since I don’t have a photo.
See more trip photos here.
Walking the Road
I drove past Twentynine Pines Campground and turned left onto Road 9701. Then in a quarter of a mile, I parked by the yellow gate before the road fork. Soon, we walked uphill for a bit before going into the open from the left fork.
As it turned out, many spur roads weren’t on the map. But we knew which ones we needed since most of them were brushy. At 3200′, the path turned south and went north at the next road bend.
See more trip photos here.
Tarzan Butte Summit Spotty Views
Slowly, we went up to Tarzan Butte’s east ridge, where the path dwindled two miles from the gate. Soon, we went up through tall shrubs from the end of the road. Then it was a short, steep scramble up to the top.
Damage from Jolly Mountain Fire was still evident from the massive burned trees. The southeast end marked the high point; we took a break on the northeast. So we could see out to Stuart Range, Earl Peak, and Navaho Peak.
See more trip photos here.
Back to Walking the Road
We got here early with lots of daylight at our disposal. So we made a counterclockwise loop through Rye Creek Valley we had yet to visit. Seeing Camp Lake out the way out would also be a bonus.
We went down the southwest ridge to the 3520′ saddle from the summit. Another 200′ scrambling south through the dense forest took us to the road next to Rye Creek. Then a moderate two-mile walk took us to the wetland.
See more trip photos here.
Camp Lake Plus Outro
Other than the few hawks overhead, the lush valley was eerily quiet. We almost missed the tiny lake before the glistening water caught my eye. But with a name like Camp Lake, I’d assume many people come here during the high season.
Besides the lake, there wasn’t much here. After a quick snack, we walked a little over two miles from the gate. In the last mile, the road turned north as we went through some mud and tree piles. So that was exciting.
See more trip photos here.