CHICO DAY TRIPS: SUTTER BUTTES

Touted as the Smallest Mountain Range in the World, the Buttes cannot be ignored if you're in the Upper Sacramento Valley!

WHAT IS SUTTER BUTTES?

That's a good question!

Nobody really knows for sure, but they mean many things to many people.

(CC) njhdiver

To the Valley Indian people (the Maidu), the Buttes are The Middle Mountain, a sacred & spiritual place - the center of the universe where the first Man & the first Woman were created.

To John Sutter, for whom the Buttes were named in 1949, they were part and parcel of his New Helvetia land grant.

To General John C. Frémont and his ragamuffin group of followers, the Buttes offered a refuge from the Mexican Army.

But the Buttes themselves remain somewhat of a mystery! Situated between the Sierra Nevadas & the Coastal Ranges, they suddenly rise up out of the flat valley floor, looking as much like a castle fortress as a mountain range.

We know they're volcanic in nature because of their deep volcanic roots. We know they're not connected to the Sierras, nor are they associated with the Coastal mountains. Some geologists believe the Buttes may be a disconnected outcrop of the Cascade Range, which is also volcanic, but no one knows for sure.

Regardless of how they came to be, they have fascinated us for as long as mankind has lived in the Upper Sacramento Valley (maybe as long as 10,000 years)!

TOURING SUTTER BUTTES TODAY

When you're driving north of Sacramento on either Highway 99 or Interestate 5, it isn't long before you spot what almost looks like a mirage, but is actually the world's tiniest mountain range. It dominates the landscape because of its suddenness - it just seems to pop up out of nowhere!

(CC) Absurd Hero

That's one way to "tour" the Buttes. Another is to take a closer look by circumnavigating a 39-mile loop, from one county road to another, until you have driven (or biked) the whole way round. This trip will give you a full, 3D look at this circular range that, because of its isolation, has its own unique flora & fauna.

As for actually "touring" Sutter Buttes (as in "hiking"), this is a complicated topic! Most of the land is privately owned. In 2003 the State of California acquired property on the north side of the Buttes, (Peace Valley) but they haven't yet designated its classification so there is no public access to what is being loosely referred to as "Sutter Buttes State Park." So - between private & inaccessible public land, you can't just put on your walking shoes & "take a hike".

However, all is not lost! Middle Mountain Foundation (the Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust & a nonprofit organization) provides access to some of the privately-owned regions of Sutter Buttes through their Interpretive Program hikes.

(CC) Alan Grinberg

A typical hike starts at 8:30 am, concludes about 3:30 in the afternoon, and is led by a guide who is experienced in the natural ecology of the area and will be able to interpret what you're seeing and answer your questions about the area. See The Middle Mountain Foundation for more information on their hikes.

GETTING TO SUTTER BUTTES FROM CHICO

To reach the Buttes from Chico, take Highway 99 to the Yuba City area, turning off at Butte House Road. Follow Butte House to Acacia Avenue (on the north side of the little town of Sutter), turning right on Acacia, then veering left onto Pass Road. The rest of the circumnavigation trip looks like this:

You've now explored the circumference of the Sutter Buttes! And here are some of the things you can look for along the way:

• The Frémont Monument which commemorates the 1846 camping grounds of Frémont and his men, and also gives great views of the interior of the Buttes
• South Butte, the tallest peak in the range
• Goat Rocks
• West Butte
• The Butte Sink Area to the west - one of the largest resting spots for migratory waterfowl along the Pacific Flyway
• The paved road that - could you follow it (it's private property now) - would lead to the former Titan Missle Base
• An easy side trip could take you through Gray Lodge Wildlife Area where you're bound to see migratory or resident waterfowl any time of year
• And be sure to enjoy the ag land along the way - especially the almond orchards!

(CC) Alan Grinberg

My best advice: bring a really good map unless you've done this before! The entire trip (from Chico to Chico) is about 140 miles and takes about 3 1/2 hours (without stops).

I hope you've enjoyed our little Day Trip to Sutter Buttes!! Please come back often as more Chico Day Trips are coming soon!

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