The 'World's Smallest Mountain Range' Is A Scenic Under-The-Radar California Attraction

California is a state of superlatives, from the manmade to the natural. It's got Venice Beach, one of the most filmed beaches in the world. It's home to the world's tallest tree in Redwood National Park. And California has the Sutter Buttes, which is often called the world's smallest mountain range. The mountains are about 60 miles north of Sacramento at the northern end of California's Central Valley, and they measure only 11 miles by 10 miles in size. The Sutter Buttes has three major peaks, the tallest of which is South Butte at around 2,120 feet. This series of peaks were formed by volcanic activity approximately 1.5 million years ago, and they stand out in stark relief to the flat valleys around them. They aren't technically a mountain range, but they're still beautiful and well worth a visit.

They were (and are) considered sacred by the Wintun and Maidu people who lived in the region for thousands of years. "For the native people it's like a great big huge outdoor cathedral," Michael Hubbartt, president of Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust, told CBS News. "That's where you went to pray, that's where you went to connect with your creator." It was called "Middle Mountain" by the indigenous people of the area. It was named in 1949 for John Sutter, a Swiss settler who got a portion of land on the Sacramento River from the Mexican government. Sutter is perhaps best known as owning the land where gold was found in 1848, which helped spur the California Gold Rush.

Sutter Buttes is not without its controversy. In early 2024, a name change request for Sutter Buttes was filed with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The proposed new name was Sacred Buttes. It would pay homage to the significance of the mountains to the area's indigenous people and remove direct reference to Sutter, who was known for his violent treatment of them. Public opinion is still divided over whether the name should be changed.

There's also a continuing debate over who should be able to access the interior of this small mountain range. All the access roads are under private ownership, and while there are have been plans since the early 2000s to establish a state park on a portion of the land, without a road, there's no way for the public to get there. So if you're itching to pack your hiking gear for a vacation to this unique place, the only way to explore the mountains on foot is by a guided tour with Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes. The program runs hikes into the interior of Sutter Buttes from October through May. Those interested can sign up online. To check out the area during other times of year, you can drive or bike on county roads that together make a 40-mile loop around the majestic landscape.