Our family hiked to the summit of Black Butte on August 7, 2021. The last 4 miles of driving to the trailhead are along a pretty rough forest road, so be prepared for a bumpy ride. The upper parking lot has a limited capacity with about 10 spots, restrooms, and a picnic table. The trail to the summit is very dusty but well-marked and well-maintained. There are few plants/trees with labels along the way, including Giant Chinquapin, which has a strong musty smell while blooming. It took us about 3 hours to the summit and back with ample time at the summit. Views are amazing and awesome viewpoints could be found starting from the halfway up. The summit has the fire watchtower, but the area is not accessible and was marked as private property. On the day of our hike, the sign said that the active fire watch was in progress. A sizable viewing platform at the summit had plenty of room to spot different mountains (labels help to identify each one), pause for a snack, or watch playful ground squirrels.