Description:
Looking north from near the top of the 3/4 mile Bessie Butte Summit Trail, hikers can clearly see the path of destruction caused by the 3,810 acre '18' fire of July 2003. The fire was so named because of nearby Forest Service Road 18 (China Hat Road) south of Bend, Oregon. In spite of the area's devastation, the land is recovering. Manzanita bushes have come back in full force, and thousands of pine seedlings planted after the fire are taking root and growing well throughout the burn area.
