Butler Lake Trail (Tatla Lake)

Site Description: The first 6.2 km of this trail follows a bulldozed road constructed for mineral exploration. The road gradient is relatively steep at an average of 13 per cent. Depending on your vehicle type and experience level with navigating steep and narrow roads, you can either choose to park at the first parking area close to Bluff Lake Road, or if you have an ATV or small 4-wheel drive vehicle you can drive up the steep and narrow access road for 6.2 km and park here. Because the road can be quite difficult to navigate, we strongly recommend that most users park at the first parking area and walk or ATV to the second parking area and begin hiking from here. The trail to Butler Lake from this parking area is another 5.4 km and takes about 3 hours to reach the lake. There are no facilities at the lake, but it has been used for a base camp for overnight hikers looking to explore the surrounding area. From this parking area, you can also choose to do a shorter hike up to Butler Peak, which is only about 2.1 km or about 1.5 to 2 hours. Due to the moderately difficult and remote terrain, and the need for some route-finding once in the subalpine or where the trail becomes less obvious, this trail is recommended only for those with backcountry hiking experience. The trail also provides an access route for multi-day traverses along the Niut Range, with alpine routes possible to Valleau Creek basin, Jamison Creek basin, or Crazy Creek basin.

Driving Directions: From Highway 20, 1.5 km east of Tatla Lake, turn south onto the Tatlayoko Lake Road. Travel about 4.2 km and turn right onto the Bluff Lake Road, also known as the West Branch Road. Follow for about 15.5 km and turn left. Travel 800 metres and turn right. Continue 600 metres to the trailhead on the left. The trail follows an old mining road from here.