Backpacking camp

Butano Trail Camp

Santa Cruz Mountains Backcountry Trail Camps, California

About this place

Butano Trail Camp is an official designated overnight location reached by the pinned agency trail route shown in Kampilo.

A reservation or permit is still required, and the map does not guarantee site availability or current access.

Water planning

Water at this camp

Natural water mapped nearby

Availability

Little Butano Creek is mapped within 0.5 mile of the camp-area marker. This is map evidence, not a real-time flow report.

Drinking safety

Natural water is not verified potable. Filter and disinfect it or boil it according to the linked land-manager guidance before drinking.

Seasonality

Little Butano Creek is classified as perennial in USGS hydrography, but current flow still must be confirmed.

  • Little Butano CreekRiver or stream · 0.3 mi awayMapped perennial source — verify current flow · Treat before drinking
    Official source

Fire planning

Campfire & stove rules

No campfires at trail camps

Campfires

Wood and charcoal fires are prohibited at Santa Cruz Mountains trail camps; a provided grill or old ring does not authorize a fire.

Backpacking stoves

Portable gas stove only when park restrictions allow. Use a self-contained gas stove in the assigned camp only when California State Parks has not suspended flame devices for red-flag or extreme-fire conditions.

Permit

The trail-camp reservation is required; State Parks does not identify a separate California Campfire Permit for the allowed gas stove.

Current restrictions

Confirm the exact camp, park closure, red-flag warning, and current stove rule before hiking in.

Seasonal access

Closures & seasonal access

The four currently open Santa Cruz Mountains trail camps have no published recurring closure window, but wildfire danger, storm damage, park operations, and post-CZU repairs can close a route or camp

Place closure

No recurring date-based closure of Butano Trail Camp is published. The source-connected approach conditions below and temporary emergency orders still control access.

Seasonal access

Source-connected approach: Butano Park Trailhead. The four currently open Santa Cruz Mountains trail camps have no published recurring closure window, but wildfire danger, storm damage, park operations, and post-CZU repairs can close a route or camp. Big Basin trail camps remain closed and are not published by Kampilo.

Before driving

Confirm the exact trail-camp reservation, designated overnight parking, route status, sunset timing, and current fire restrictions before departure.

Mapped approaches

Choose a trailhead for Butano Trail Camp

Each option has a sourced trail route to this camp area. Choose one to open its itinerary builder with this destination in context.

Map

Loading map
Latitude
37.224427° N
Longitude
122.290601° W

Sources

Official overnight record California State Parks open backcountry trail camp — Butano; mapped to the nearest reachable agency trail pointSanta Cruz Mountains Backcountry Trail Camp reservationSanta Cruz Mountains Backcountry Trail Camps overnight regulationsSanta Cruz Mountains Backcountry Trail Camps current conditionsOpenTopoData public API — SRTM 90 mUSGS NHDPlusV2 flowline — Little Butano CreekCalifornia State Parks — backcountry water guidanceCalifornia State Parks — Santa Cruz Mountains trail camps