Got a fairly early start on what would later become a hot day, hiking with Joan and my son Dan who was visiting from Tampa. The gravel road to the upper trailhead was in pretty good condition. You don't need 4WD or even a high clearance vehicle as long as you're willing to take your time.

The trail itself was shady up until about the last mile. Wildflowers were going nuts — all varieties and colors were blooming.

As the trail winds around the east side of the butte, the trail ran through a section scarred by an old forest fire, and the current fire lookout tower came into view.

At the summit, we took time to visit the old cupola and read up on the history of Black Butte. The old cabin has been removed, but you can still see the foundation.

The views are phenomenal. Next time I hike this, I'm heading up for sunrise.

On our way back down we ran into a lot more people coming up, so it definitely pays to get an early start.