THE TOWN OF BUTTE FALLS

The population of Butte Falls is 437 as of the 2020 census, and it is the smallest incorporated town in Jackson County.

Located on the densely forested Big Butte Plateau in the Cascade Range in southern Oregon, the town's name comes from nearby Butte Falls, a ten-foot-high basalt ledge across Big Butte Creek. A world of natural beauty can be found in southern Oregon near the town of Butte Falls nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains near the base of Mt. McLoughlin (gateway to the Sky Lakes Wilderness).

This little community doesn't just dream in a big way, it does things in a big way, like buying more than 400 forest acres that surround the Town of Butte Falls and transforming that timber land into the Butte Falls Community Forest. Like organizing the Crystal Springs bottling plant to bring fresh, mountain water to the world. Like crafting a partnership between the town and the Butte Falls School District to create The Landing, a community center and daycare. Like giving 100% support to the Natural Resources Center, a project of the Butte Falls School District. Like going all out to help those in need with the Trees for Carter Project, funding PKAN research. Like keeping the Butte Falls Bulletin going since 1994 - yes, the newspaper is printed and mailed every month.

And there’s a lot of history to see in the Town of Butte Falls. Historic buildings line the streets that shape the downtown district and surround the central plaza. The Butte Falls Mill Site is an inviting and exciting place to experience the cool rushing water and green glen that faces the falls where you can still see foundations of the mill site. The E.W. Smith House and Bill Edmondson Memorial Museum is run by the Big Butte Historical Society. E.W. Smith was an inventor, surveyor, photographer, teacher and chiropractor. He was also one of the Town of Butte Falls earliest treasurers. Today E.W.s 1936 home is a museum filled with historic artifacts and photos, thanks to the work of Joyce Hailicka who organized volunteers to restore the building. The museum is also a tribute to Bill Edmondson, a world class master carver who created dioramas and figures using local woods in beautiful harmony. Some of Edmondson’s work is in the E.W. Smith House and Bill Edmondson Memorial Museum and can also be found in the Smithsonian.

The Old MedCo Caboose is also a remarkable sight to see. Located adjacent to the Butte Falls Branch of Jackson County Library Services, the Old MedCo Caboose has been restored and is open to visitors on special occasions. Historic photographs, a railroad library and postcard collection, historic artifacts and more are on display. Oh, and the Butte Falls Public Library? It once was a drive through hamburger joint in Medford, the building moved by Ron Hailicka’s lowboy up Highway 140 to its current location in 1994. That day, the whole town turned out with jaws dropped in amazement, to celebrate Butte Falls’ first real library.

Here’s a link to Travel Southern Oregon’s page for Butte Falls.

Explore the Butte Falls Discovery Tour!

We invite you to discover our beautiful area by way of visiting listed sites on the map.

Designed to show how rural Oregon looked before it was settled, and how it looks, sounds and feels today.

The loop takes a half day by car, including stops for short hikes, photos, and deep breaths of fresh air. The Loop includes history --- both natural and cultural, plant & animal life, and breathtaking panoramas. You will see an old logging arch left to rust in the woods, tiny wildflowers, and giant trees. You will also find campsites, ready and waiting, rivers and streams flowing with cold, clear water, trailheads into the wilderness, and other recreational opportunities.