Skip to guide
northward.NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Viewpoints · Vanderhoof & Fraser Lake · Vanderhoof / farther west

Cutoff Butte

A short but very steep climb reaches an old volcanic landform and broad views. The drive is substantially longer than the walk, making road planning the largest part of the trip.

Sources reviewed . This is a research date, not a trail inspection.

Weather & trip plannerPrint guide & mapsSave offline guideDownload source line (GPX)
Distance
2.6 kmRound trip
Elevation gain
Not establishedCumulative ascent for this outing has not been established.
Walking time
Not published
Difficulty
Not rated

Map & elevation

Opening the map…

Partial elevation profile

Mapped portion · walking direction unconfirmed · 0.94 km

This chart covers only part of the route. It does not establish the full hike or a return journey.

Elevation along one mapped source section; direction is not an established walking itinerary950 m1050 m1150 m0 km0.2 km0.5 km0.7 km0.9 km
Explore the elevation with the chart or slider.
Coverage and elevation sources

0.94 km along source section 1 of 1, in its mapped direction. Approximate 90 m terrain model along this mapped section. Separate sections are not joined. This chart does not measure total trail ascent or establish current access; use the guide’s published outing measurements.

Copernicus GLO-90 terrain elevations via Open-Meteo (CC BY4.0); linework: Open Government Licence – British Columbia · checked 2026-10-18 · CC BY4.0 elevation data; Open Government Licence – British Columbia linework. Copernicus DEM 2021 GLO-90 via Open-Meteo. Linework source: https://delivery.maps.gov.bc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/whse/bcgw_pub_whse_forest_tenure/MapServer/9. Sampled and rounded for display.

Government reference trail. The government line is shorter than the published return outing. Parking-to-line access and the full summit endpoint remain unverified. Line source (opens original source).

Getting there & parking

  1. From Vanderhoof, follow Kenney Dam Road about 22 km to the Kluskus junction and turn left.

  2. The district locates the trail 87.9 km from that junction. Its page does not supply a final turn-by-turn parking description.

Full access notes

From Vanderhoof drive about 22 km to the Kenney Dam Road–Kluskus junction and turn left onto Kluskus Forest Service Road. The district places the trail 87.9 km beyond that junction. Keep the road-distance reference separate from any kilometre posts with a different origin. Confirm the trail access and industrial road conditions before departure: the public description supplies this approach distance but not a detailed final parking layout.

Map position: 53.57294, -124.78997 · recreation project location. PROJECT_NAME=Cutoff Butte Trail; FOREST_FILE_ID=REC6106; official source point [-124.78997377619741, 53.57294334986082]

On the trail

  1. Climb the steep path to the top of the volcanic butte.

Full route notes

Take the footpath uphill toward the top of Cutoff Butte. The district describes very steep terrain and a 1.3 km trail, with a return along the same route. Use the summit area as the turnaround and allow time for a careful descent rather than relying on the source’s brief 30-minute walking estimate. The reviewed description does not identify a loop, developed campground or a protected cliff-edge viewpoint, so those should not be assumed from the summit’s picnic potential.

The way back

The source lists a 1.3 km ascent and says to return on the same trail. Plan roughly 2.6 km including the steep descent.

Conditions & seasons

Season-specific access has not been established in this guide. Read the dated notices and original land-manager information before choosing a departure date.

These are dated research notes. Open the trip planner for current available weather and advisory feeds; no alert found does not establish that a trail or road is open.

Check weather & available updates →

Camping & overnight plans

On-route camping permission has not been established for this outing. Check the relevant land manager before planning an overnight stay; a mapped lake, cabin or previous tent location does not confirm permission.

Photos of Cutoff Butte

A photograph with confirmed reuse permission has not yet been added to this guide.

Original photo galleries

These galleries stay on their photographers’ original websites.

Take this guide with you

Choose a trip pack or an available individual sheet for your map case.

Full trip packDirections, planning notes & available mapsTopographic mapSource lines and published locationsPartial elevation sheetMapped portion only; not a complete outingSave offline guideDownload a copy to your device
Sources, dates & research notes

Descriptions are written for this guide from the linked evidence. Source review dates, published reports and field observations can differ. Photographs and route lines retain their own attribution and reuse terms.

  1. https://vanderhoof.ca/visit/trails/ (opens original source)
  2. https://delivery.maps.gov.bc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/mpcm/bcgwpub/MapServer/280 (opens original source)
  3. https://delivery.maps.gov.bc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/whse/bcgw_pub_whse_forest_tenure/MapServer/9/query?f=geojson&where=RMF_SKEY%3D20077 (opens original source)
  4. https://trailfare.ca/spring-hike-cutoff-bute-and-the-kenny-dam/ (opens original source)
Details still being researched
  • gainM
  • dogs
  • accessibility
  • camping
  • seasonal

Nearby and related guides