Black Butte is a prominent landmark peak along the upper reaches of Tassajara Road; its peak reaches to 4941' elevation (1506 m). The Black Butte Hotspot in Los Padres National Forest is reached via Tassajara Road, which branches south off Carmel Valley Road some 24.1 miles from Highway 1. The first 3 miles are paved, but thereafter the road is dirt, and can be rough and rutted, especially as it reaches higher elevations. Set your odometer at 0.0 at the end of the pavement on Tassajara Road. One reaches the sign-posted edge of Los Padres National Forest after 3.4 miles of dirt road, passes White Oaks Camp at 4.7 miles, and reaches the road's saddle at Chews Ridge at 5.9 miles. The turn-off to sign-posted China Camp is at odometer 7.4 mile, which is 1.5 miles beyond Chews Ridge. 

Your first views of Black Butte will be just before odometer 9.0, where Black Butte will loom straight ahead but slightly left as the road gently curves right. Here, there is a wide parking area and short stub of a road on the left (east) side. You'll see an unmarked trailhead here for a narrow trail through thick chaparral. This trail goes for a quarter-mile or so to an overlook towards Black Butte. In the past that overlook was a spot to listen for Black-chinned Sparrow in early summer, but their populations move around to different parts on successional chaparral after fires. Be careful on that narrow trail as this is rattlesnake country on hot summer days. Tassajara Road itself gently curves right and down at this point, and hereafter heads downhill to the west for five miles to Tassajara Hot Springs. For purpose of eBirding, this is the end of the "China Camp and Poorwill Gap" hotspot, and the beginning of the "Black Butte" Hotspot.

You are in the Black Butte Hotspot for the next 3 miles of Tassajara Road. Alas, the road is rough, rugged, and head down-hill steeply. It has few pull-outs, although a stub-road to the right will eventually be obvious at the first major hair-pin curve to the left. Various other wide spot here and there below Black Butte are usable, but there is regular traffic to and from Tassajara Hot Springs, so do not block the road. The habitat has much rocky chaparral, with a smattering of oaks, pines, and madrones. As you get closer to Tassajara Hot Spots itself (which is not open to visitors; you must have reservations in advance) the habitat becomes more arid. It will be very hot here in summer. [Tassajara Road is often closed in winter once it begins to rain.]

This Hotspot, beginning at 9 miles along rugged Tassajara Road, enroute to Tassajara Hot Spots at road's end after 14 miles of a treacherous rough road, is not visited very often. Most visits are in spring and summer. This country is good for chaparral birds: Common Poorwill (crepuscular), Anna's Hummingbird, Wrentit, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher, California and Spotted Towhees, sometimes Lazuli Bunting, and patchy resident populations of Rufous-crowned or Bell's Sparrow (both local, shy, and best located by song or calls). Black-chinned Sparrow occurs more regularly within this Hotspot than any other along Tassajara Road, or almost anywhere else in Monterey County. Listen for the "dime-spinning-on-formica" song in May-June. As you reach lower and more arid elevations near Tassajara Hot Springs, chances for scarce Costa's Hummingbird increase.

The Forest Service says: "Tassajara Road is a rough road and 4-wheel drive and high clearance vehicles are recommended to drive to the campground." See more about the upper reaches of Tassajara Road on the Hotspots for Chews Ridge: at either Chews Ridge--east ridge or at Chews Ridge--west ridge. You will pass through those Hotspots enroute to this Black Butte hotspot.