Pawnee Buttes: A solitary hike

June 4, 4:22 PMWyoming Outdoor Recreation ExaminerMolly Bredehoft

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Solitary prairie leads to the Pawnee Buttes. Photo by M. Bredehoft

Dusty roads and solitary plains lead to hiking trails at the Pawnee Buttes. Part of the Pawnee National Grasslands, there are 193,000 acres available for hiking and camping. All you need to enjoy the trip to the Buttes is plenty of water, sunscreen, and a desire for solitude. (Maybe you should forget your shoes too).

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Located approximately 70 miles southeast of Cheyenne in Colorado, the Pawnee Buttes rise up 300 feet above the plains

and provide for a very scenic prairie hike. The buttes are a quarter mile apart in distance, but the west butte is the only one accessible on public lands.

There are three main trails to reach the sandstone buttes- Buttes Trail, Overlook, and Lips Bluff. The Overlook and the Lips Bluff trail are closed March 1- June 30 for nesting eagles, hawks, and falcons. Please respect the nesting season and stay on marked trails.

Although two of the trails are closed part of the year, the Buttes Trail ( #840) is the main trail to access the Pawnee Buttes. The Buttes Trail can be accessed at the main parking area, or following the main road east to the horse tank and windmill, the trail #840 also heads off from a small parking lot leading directly to the buttes. Taking #840 from the main parking lot provides for a more scenic and winding hike around the jagged terrain pointing the way up to the buttes.

The Buttes Trail, approximately 1.1 miles, is not a difficult trail and is considered easy with an elevation drop of -292 feet. Although an easy trail for most avid hikers, the Pawnee Buttes provide for an excellent place to bring children to teach them about the prairie environment or to provide a solitary hike as not many people will be on the trail. If you’re not tired after hiking the Buttes Trail, remember, there are 193,000 acres of national grassland to explore. Be sure to know the boundaries of the grasslands, as they are not marked well in certain areas.

Keep your eyes open! The Pawnee Buttes are famous for the large number of vertebrate fossils found in the area. Due be aware that artifacts are not to be taken and upon finding artifacts, location should be reported to the forest service. On your hike you may also see: birds of prey, owls, lark bunting, pronghorn, mule deer, coyote, fox, snakes, and prairie dogs.

While hiking the Pawnee Buttes, enjoy the time away from normal life and revel in the solitude of the plains.  Listen to the songs of the prairie birds and let your mind wander as far as your eyes can see.  You may become enchanted- and you will probably want to return again.

Helpful sites

• Pawnee National Grasslands site
• Visitor Guide
• Personal reflection
• Artists'photography of the Pawnee Buttes

Campgrounds

• Crow Valley Recreation Area

Driving from Cheyenne-

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