What a great day for a hike! This was my first time hiking to Kelly Butte. I went with my Sister and her dog Lasso. We had planned to stay overnight but found it occupied by volunteers. Based on the information they provided I would assume it is occupied every night during the summer months.
The trailhead was easy to find using the directions here on WTA. I'm glad I printed them out as we were out of cell service for most of the drive in. The roads are in pretty good condition with some minor washboarding and a couple rough spots. We had a truck but it would be passable with any regular vehicle. You can't quite see the lookout from the parking lot but if you walk back out to the main road you can see it peeking out just above the trees.
The trail itself is also in good condition. It can been broken up into three separate sections. The first .6 or .7 miles are along an old road that is no longer drive-able and has been converted into trail. It's a gentle and easy walk in the shade.
The next section is another story. About .5 miles of steep climbing and constant switchbacks. The trail is narrow here but well taken care of with stone steps and well formed corners. Depending on the time of day you will be in and out of the sun, but mostly in. Make sure you bring all the water you need as there is nowhere to fill up along the trail.
Once you reach the top of the switchbacks you enter the third section of the trail. It continues to ascend, but at a more gentle pace. The trail here is still very narrow and dug deeply into the surrounding meadow. It looks like it would fill up with water and form a small river on a wet day but was dry and hard packed today. After about .5 miles of this you will crest a small ridge and the lookout will be in view. Just a few more minutes will get you there.
Enjoy the 360 degree views, have lunch and chat with the volunteers that watch over the lookout. The two ladies and their teenage boys who were working today were very nice and had plenty of information to share about the volunteer program.
We only encountered two other groups along the trail on a Tuesday afternoon. Total time up was about 65 minutes (we were carrying 25-30 lbs. packs each) and about 45 minutes down. I will absolutely be doing this hike again, and hopefully volunteering to man the tower overnight next year.
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