It's a lovely year at Oregon Butte. The air has been clear with big views almost every day. There are still some huckleberries to be found on northern aspects. There have been some small fires from lightning strikes in the broader area but firefighters have been quickly dispatched and able to control them easily. One item of note is that the approach on the 4608 road that leads to Teepee Trailhead is 6 miles, not 5, so don't give up! The road dead ends at the parking lot. Also to note - the springs are nearly dry, it's normal for this time of year because the aquifer is fed by snow melt. Plan on bringing water or filling up very very slowly. You can still filter from the trough or head over to emergency springs near the top of the Panjab where it trickles a little longer into the fall. If you head up from Teepee, the trail forks at about the halfway point - both ways go and rejoin together. I recommend taking the right fork over West Butte and coming back on the other side.
The Panjab loop is in good shape this year and it's about 17 miles if you do the whole thing.
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