Island Butte

Overview

Island Butte is the highest point in Lava Beds National Monument. It stands as an island in the middle of the Callahan Lava Flow. As such, you'll need to traverse some of the chunky lava flow to get to the top of the butte. It can be slow going. Even if dogs were allowed, it would be a terrible idea to bring them along. Make sure your footwear is sturdy and you have plenty of water. 

Getting There

Probably the easiest way to get to Island Butte is by driving to a point just a mile or so southwest of Eagle Nest Butte.

From the Lava Beds visitor center, you would drive north about 1 mile to Medicine Lake Road. Turn left onto Medicine Lake Road.

Drive for about 3 miles. You will drive out of the park and enter the Modoc National Forest. You will come to Tichnor Road (also spelled Tickner, Ticker, etc. on Google Maps) You will turn right and be driving along an old railroad bed. High clearance is not necessary. My Outback did fine, but if your car hangs especially low, you may scrape your undercarriage.

Once on Tichnor Road, you may drive for about a mile or so. At the point when I hiked (a week before writing this), there was some pink flagging on a side road on the right. This side road will take you a short distance back to the boundary of Lava Beds National Monument. The side road ends in a good-sized turnaround. Looks like it'd also make a good backcountry camping area. You will be parking on the Modoc National Forest. You should see some signs on the trees saying "No Hunting". Those trees mark the boundary of the National Monument. You should also see a metal sign telling you you're entering the Lava Beds Wilderness. 

Route

There is no trail. It's all route finding. Relatively easy for the moderately experienced hiker, or so I'd think.

From the parking area, you cannot see Island Butte. There are two approaches you could take. The approach I took was first hiking up Eagle Nest Butte, clearly visible to the northeast, about a mile from the parking area. A nice, easy, cross-country ramble. From Eagle Nest Butte, Island Butte was easily visible across the Callahan Lava Flow. Then you start walking toward it. It's that simple. My guess from my GPS watch was that it's between a mile and 1.5 miles across the lava flow to Island Butte's base. Then, an uphill, mildly bushwhacky trek on soft-ish volcanic sand. The return trip could be backtracking (yikes) or continuing south across the lava flow to the woods. This is what I did since it was much less trekking on lava rocks. Once I reached the woods south of Island Butte, I stayed along the edge of the lava flow (keeping it to my left) while heading back in the direction of my car.

OR you could head to Island Butte straight from your car. You might need some sort of navigational aid besides your eyeballs, since you wouldn't be able to see Island Butte for most of the time you're navigating through the woods. At least you'd have a little more confidence with some sort of aid. From the parking area, you'd head to the lava flow and then go west, keeping the lava flow immediately to your right. The lava flow curves around a little peninsula and reaches a point where the crossing of the lava flow to Island Butte is the shortest. Make the crossing and then return. 

Red Tape

No dogs. Nothing motorized. You're in a wilderness area, so no bikes either.

When to Climb

I would not do this if it's raining or if it's rained in the last day and hasn't had time to dry. Walking for this long on wet lava rocks sounds like a terrible idea. If you injure yourself in the middle of the lava flow, it will take a lot of effort (and probably a helicopter) to find you. And it'd take a lot of people (or a helicopter) to get you out. 

Camping

Lava Beds NM has a campground. You can do dispersed camping in the monument, too. Check the park's website for regulations.

The parking area is in the Modoc National Forest. Camping regulations are a little looser in national forests. You can sleep in your car here or tent camp. I believe you need a campfire permit for the Modoc National Forest, so be sure to look into that if you plan on having one. And be aware of current fire restrictions.

External Links

https://www.nps.gov/labe/index.htm   Lava Beds National Monument website

https://www.fs.usda.gov/modoc  Modoc National Forest website