From US Highway 95, turn east onto Blacktail Road 10.1 kilometres south of the intersection with Sagle Road in Sagle or 21.5 kilometres north of the interchange with State Highway 54 in Athol.  Drive 2.6 kilometres and turn left onto National Forest road 230 (2WD gravel).  Drive about 4.4 kilometres to road's end at Maiden Rock trailhead (no facilities) where there is parking space for about half a dozen vehicles.  Two separate trails begin from this trailhead; the trail to Butler Mountain and Blacktail Mountain is numbered "117".

Starting from the signed trailhead, Zosia and I ascended a well-defined trail (117) which rises steadily up a forested slope to the connecting ridge between Butler Mountain and Blacktail Mountain.  A few times, we crossed an older trail which takes a steeper but more direct line up the slope, but for the most part, we just stuck with the newer trail.  Since this newer trail was mainly designed for dirt biking, the rocky surface was often loose and a bit unpleasant to walk on, and combined with zero views, the climb to the ridge crest felt like a long and monotonous grind.  Upon reaching a T-junction on the connecting ridge, we turned left and easily hiked another kilometre to the summit of Butler Mountain.  The trail on the ridge was flatter and easier to hike, and an abundance of ripe huckleberries made up for the lack of views.  The summit of Butler Mountain was once the site of a fire lookout cabin and tower, but there is little evidence of either remaining.  According to Eric Willhite, the mountain was named for a young fire lookout--Ben Butler--who was apparently killed by lightning inside the cabin in 1931.

With little to see at the summit of Butler Mountain, Zosia and I promptly turned around and hiked back to the T-junction where we continued just as easily along the other branch for about 400 metres to the summit of Blacktail Mountain.  This summit is a little more open, but wildfire haze made it difficult to discern anything beyond a few nearby forested humps.  We stopped anyway for an extended lunch break before returning to the T-junction and descending the same trail we came up.  With the exception of a few short cuts down the older trail, we pretty much retraced our steps down to the trailhead without fanfare.

	Zosia begins hiking up a trail that is apparently maintained by North Idaho Off-Road Vehicle Association.
	Most of the trail goes up a forested slope with virtually no far-reaching views.
	The trail levels out considerably on the connecting ridge between the two peaks.
	Ripe huckleberries are abundant on the connecting ridge.
	Zosia stands on the summit of Butler Mountain (1498 metres).
	Back at a trail junction, Zosia heads up the branch that leads to the top of Blacktail Mountain.
	A rare opening in the forest grants a hazy and limited view of Lake Pend Oreille.
	Zosia and Sonny stand on the summit of Blacktail Mountain (1518 metres).
	Visible just above the trees to the southeast is Packsaddle Mountain (centre).
	Here is the view to the south from the top of Blacktail Mountain.
	Total Distance:  9.1 kilometres Round-Trip Time:  4 hours 58 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain:  534 metres GPX Data