Bathtub Lake Loop

Bathtub Lake Loop is a moderate, roughly 2.1-mile circuit from Butte Lake Day Use Area. It skirts Butte Lake, crosses Butte Creek twice, and offers a short spur to its namesake lake; Little Lake lies on the circuit. Allow about 1–2 hours. Published totals range from 2.0 to 2.4 miles; this mapped distance follows the main circuit, while the spur to Bathtub Lake adds a little more. The route has a climb and about 350–400 feet of reported gain; the payoff is a compact chain of lake and creek scenery.

The lake-side stretch is mostly level before the path climbs through open forest and volcanic cinders. It then drops about 150 feet to the first Butte Creek crossing, which is unbridged. Check the footing and water before stepping across; turn back if the crossing is unsafe. After the Widow Lake junction, the loop follows the creek for roughly half a mile to a second crossing on a bridge. The return is flatter. Most of the route is exposed to sun.

The maintained loop passes an inconspicuous turn for Bathtub Lake. Take the short spur and retrace it to the junction; otherwise it is easy to walk past the named lake. Little Lake lies about a tenth of a mile farther along the loop and is more obvious, so it can be mistaken for Bathtub Lake when following directions.

Start at Bathtub Lake Trailhead in Butte Lake Day Use Area, reached by a six-mile dirt-and-gravel road off Highway 44. An entrance-fee receipt or park pass is required. The area has parking, picnic tables and grills, and restrooms. Drinking water and flush toilets depend on the adjacent campground being open and the water system running; RV and trailer parking is limited. There is no food service at the day-use area.