Butler Hill by Skagit Gadget and Anderson Mountain lies northwest of Sedro-Woolley. It’s the tallest hill in the plains between Colony Creek and Skagit River. Meanwhile, Jarman Prairie cuts across the northern foothills.
See more trip photos here.
Butler Hill at a Glance
Access: F & S Grade Road
Round Trip: 3 miles
Elevation Range: 150′-886′
Gear: none
Route Info: Derek Ralph
GPS track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
There is no shortage of hills by Interstate 5 between Arlington and Bellingham. So, after exploring Skagit Gadget recently, we came to Butler Hill. I’d seen the area countless times from the highway but hadn’t visited until now.
F & S Grade Road
This hill rising in the flatland harbors an illustrious past. It was named after Silas Moore Butler, who settled in the area from Pennsylvania in 1884. He entered the timber business before starting a dairy on his 1000 acres here.
I couldn’t fit the car by the locked gate without blocking the entrance. So I parked in the small pullout across F & S Grade Road by a private home. Sitting above their gated driveway was what looked like a trail cam.
See more trip photos here.
Through the Logging Territory
Two trucks came in as soon as we started on the road. I wondered about their access privilege before catching up to the two guys by the quarry. We chatted as I learned about the logging company as they collected firewood for the owner.
Soon, the walkable part of the main road ended by the blackberry bushes. Unable to find a way around them, we scrambled uphill through light logging debris. Above the buttress, we reached the false peak adorned with a tower.
See more trip photos here.
Butler Hill Summit Views Plus Exit
We crossed the upper roadway before arriving at the windy summit. Views, including Lummi Island of San Juan Islands, were open to the northwest and south. But trees and dark clouds were in other directions.
I was curious about the John Deere StarFire 3000 on the tower and looked up its usage. Soon, we returned to the lower roadway through the clear-cut and the buttress. We then enjoyed a calm and mindless stroll to the car.
See more trip photos here.