Sutter Buttes offer a unique and enlightening hiking experience

One of the most unique places in California is the Sutter Buttes. They rise 2,000 feet from the center of our Great Central Valley, just under an hour north of Sacramento. This small volcanic mountain range – known as the smallest mountain range in the world – is the only major exception to the 450 miles of flatness that makes up our Valley.

The first geologist to study the Sutter Buttes saw them as “rock castles.” It’s an apt description. The first time I got a close look at them was under a brooding, stormy sky, and they made me think of a forbidding fortress. On my two return journeys, they looked less threatening but equally imposing.

For the last 150 years, the buttes have been ranch country. Through a unique partnership between landowners in the buttes and the Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes, public access has been offered on guided hikes in the cooler months for more than 25 years.

I first hiked the buttes and wrote about them in 2013. Since then, I wanted to return to hike the summit of North Butte, the highest point that can be accessed on any of the hikes. I finally got the chance a couple of weekends ago, and I heartily recommend a visit to the buttes for anyone looking for a new hike and anyone who wants to learn more about the geography, geology, history, plants and animals of our region.

The summit of North Butte provides 360-degree views that include the craggy summits and ridges of the buttes, the great expanse of the Central Valley, the Coast Range and the Sierra Nevada. On a clearer day, we would have been able to see Lassen Peak and even possibly Mount Shasta. High points reached on other hikes organized by Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes have similar 360-degree views.

Despite an approaching storm, our hike leaders got us to the summit in time to enjoy the view and then back down before the rain began. It was a steep, challenging hike that climbed more than 1,200 vertical feet without a trail. Due to the weather, our hike finished early and we didn’t get to enjoy as much interpretation as usual, but the continuous rain made everyone ready for dry clothes and warm coffee. No one felt like they missed out – we all successfully attained a challenging summit and then descended, learning quite a bit along the way.

The buttes were greener this time than during my March 2013 visit, and there were lots of wildflowers. In wet years, the buttes can be one of the best places to enjoy wildflowers in the state.

I’ve been on several guided hikes in the past few years. Not only are they a great way to learn from experts, access to unique and infrequently visited parts of the state is often granted only for organized groups.

The Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust has pioneered a unique path in land and resource conservation. Instead of the expensive undertaking of buying land, the land trust has forged partnerships with local landowners. The landowners grant access to groups led by Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes. The land remains rural and part of our economy as working ranches.

We encountered quite a few sheep on our trek. If you’re a photographer, the buttes are a great place to take your camera, with the sheep adding interest to your shots. If you’re interested in learning, Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes provides some of the best outdoor education I’ve ever been a part of. Their hike guides are true experts about the area.

The hikes range from easy strolls, where the focus is on education, to challenging climbs like North Butte, and everything in between. Although the season of green grass and wildflowers is coming to an end, the interpretive hikes start again in the fall, usually in October.

If you’re interested in hiking the buttes, you can learn more at www.middlemountainhikes.org or by calling (530) 671-6116.

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Sutter Buttes offer a unique and enlightening hiking experience."