Butte Valley Airport (A32) — Yreka, California
Butte Valley Airport, designated by the FAA with the identifier A32, is a public-use general aviation facility situated on the high Butte Valley plateau in Siskiyou County, California. The airport serves the agricultural community of Butte Valley, a broad intermontane basin lying approximately 25 miles southeast of the city of Yreka at elevations ranging from 4,000 to 4,700 feet above sea level. Siskiyou County covers more than 6,300 square miles of mountainous terrain in the far north of California, sharing a border with Oregon to the north and bisected by the Klamath Mountains, Cascade Range, and Scott Mountains. The region's sparse population of roughly 44,000 residents relies heavily on small general aviation airports like A32 to bridge the distances between isolated valley communities and regional service centers.
Airport Facilities and Operations at A32
Butte Valley Airport (A32) is owned and operated as a public-use facility, welcoming private pilots, agricultural operators, and recreational flyers accessing the Butte Valley basin. The airport sits at an elevation consistent with the surrounding plateau — approximately 4,200 feet MSL — which pilots must account for when calculating density altitude, especially during summer months when temperatures in the valley can exceed 90°F. At elevation, standard atmospheric density is reduced, requiring longer takeoff and landing distances compared to sea-level airports. The single runway at A32 accommodates light general aviation aircraft, including single-engine piston planes and light twin-engine aircraft commonly used for crop-dusting and agricultural survey operations that are central to Butte Valley's economy. No control tower operates at A32; pilots use the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) to self-announce position and intentions, standard practice at uncontrolled airports throughout rural California. Fuel availability at A32 is limited and pilots transiting the region should plan accordingly, using Siskiyou County Airport (SIY) in Montague — approximately 20 miles to the northwest — as their primary fueling stop. Siskiyou County Airport offers 100LL and Jet-A fuel, a 6,004-foot paved runway, instrument approaches including ILS and RNAV procedures, and fixed-base operator (FBO) services including aircraft rental and flight instruction.
The Butte Valley Region and Aviation Context
Butte Valley itself is one of California's less-known agricultural zones, producing grain crops and supporting cattle ranching at altitude. The valley's flat floor, ringed by the Cascade foothills and the Klamath Mountains, makes light aircraft an especially practical mode of transport for ranchers and business travelers who would otherwise face long drives over mountainous highways. Highway 97, the main artery through Butte Valley, connects south toward Weed and Interstate 5, and north across the Oregon border toward Klamath Falls — a drive of roughly 50 miles from the valley floor to the nearest commercial airline service at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR) in Medford, Oregon. MFR offers scheduled jet service on Alaska Airlines and United Airlines with connections to Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA), San Francisco International (SFO), Los Angeles International (LAX), and Denver International (DEN), making it the practical commercial gateway for Siskiyou County residents. Within California, the closest commercial service is Redding Municipal Airport (RDD), approximately 90 miles south on Interstate 5, served by United Express with daily flights to San Francisco. Pilots flying into Butte Valley from the Bay Area frequently route through Redding or use the direct routing over the Sacramento Valley, with flight times of approximately 1.5 to 2 hours in a typical single-engine aircraft from the San Francisco Bay region. The Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) in the Tri-Valley area serves as a common departure point for northern California pilots heading to Siskiyou County, offering full FBO services, instrument approaches, and a 2,700-foot and 4,751-foot runway pair suited to a wide range of general aviation aircraft.
Navigating to Butte Valley Airport from Yreka
Yreka, the Siskiyou County seat with a population of approximately 7,500, lies about 25 miles northwest of Butte Valley Airport via Highway 263 and Highway 97. Yreka is accessible from Interstate 5 and serves as the administrative and commercial hub for the county. Travelers arriving by air at nearby airports — including Montague-Yreka-Rohrer Field (3O1), a paved single-runway airport 8 miles east of Yreka in the Scott Valley, or Happy Camp Airport (36S), a remote backcountry strip along the Klamath River — can access Yreka services via Siskiyou County roads. For pilots planning to use A32 as a destination or stopover, pre-flight weather briefings are strongly recommended: Butte Valley sits in a region subject to high-wind events, valley fog in winter months, and rapidly changing mountain weather influenced by the Cascades and Pacific storm tracks. The FAA's weather services and 1800wxbrief.com provide current METARs, TAFs, SIGMETs, and PIREPs for the Klamath Falls (LMT) and Redding (RDD) reporting stations nearest to the Butte Valley area.
Butte Valley Airport - A32 Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Yreka, California.
| Name | Butte Valley Airport - A32 |
| Address | 411 4th Street, Yreka CA 96097 Map |
| Phone | (530) 842-8295 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Butte Valley Airport - A32
Frequently Asked Questions — Butte Valley Airport (A32), Yreka, California
Butte Valley Airport, FAA identifier A32, is a public-use general aviation airport located on the Butte Valley plateau in Siskiyou County, California, approximately 25 miles southeast of Yreka — the county seat. The airport sits at an elevation of roughly 4,200 feet MSL on the broad, flat agricultural basin surrounded by the Klamath Mountains and Cascade foothills. It serves private pilots, agricultural aircraft operators, and recreational flyers accessing one of Northern California's most remote rural valleys. The airport is uncontrolled (no tower), and pilots use CTAF procedures for traffic advisories. It is listed in the FAA airport database under the ID 27730.
The nearest full-service airport to Butte Valley Airport (A32) is Siskiyou County Airport (SIY) in Montague, California, approximately 20 miles to the northwest. SIY features a 6,004-foot paved and lighted runway, 100LL and Jet-A fuel, ILS and RNAV instrument approaches, and FBO services including aircraft rental and maintenance. For commercial airline connections, the closest options are Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR) in Medford, Oregon (approximately 50 miles north via Highway 97), served by Alaska Airlines and United Express, or Redding Municipal Airport (RDD) in Redding, California (approximately 90 miles south on I-5), served by United Express to San Francisco International.
Yes — Butte Valley Airport (A32) sits at approximately 4,200 feet MSL, meaning pilots must carefully calculate density altitude before operating, particularly in summer when surface temperatures in the valley can reach 90°F or above. At high density altitudes, aircraft performance is significantly degraded: climb rates are reduced, takeoff rolls are longer, and approach speeds may need adjustment. Pilots should also be aware that the Siskiyou County region is subject to high-wind events, winter valley fog, and rapidly changing mountain weather influenced by Pacific storm systems moving over the Cascades. Pre-flight weather briefings via 1800wxbrief.com and review of METARs from nearby reporting stations (Klamath Falls/LMT and Redding/RDD) are strongly recommended before any flight into or out of A32.
Bay Area pilots flying to Butte Valley Airport (A32) most commonly depart from Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) in the Tri-Valley, which offers two runways (the longer at 4,751 feet), full FBO services, and easy I-580 access. The typical VFR routing heads northeast over the Sacramento Valley, following the Central Valley corridor past Red Bluff and then climbing over the Shasta foothills toward Siskiyou County — a flight of approximately 1.5 to 2 hours in a typical Cessna 172 or Piper Cherokee. Oakland International Airport (OAK) serves as a commercial departure point for passengers connecting via Seattle or San Francisco to Medford (MFR) for ground transport to Yreka. Pilots should file VFR or IFR flight plans and note that mountain wave activity over the Cascades and Klamath ranges can produce significant turbulence at cruising altitudes.
Ground transportation serving the Yreka and Butte Valley area is limited given the region's rural character. Siskiyou County Airport (SIY) in Montague is the closest paved public airport to Yreka, located about 8 miles east of downtown. Rental cars are not consistently available on-site at SIY; travelers typically arrange vehicle rentals in Yreka through national chains located along North Main Street. Shuttle services connecting to Medford Airport (MFR) in Oregon — the nearest commercial hub — include regional providers that serve the I-5 corridor through the Siskiyou Pass. Direct Airport Shuttle services operating in the greater Northern California and Southern Oregon corridor can be arranged for transport between Medford, Yreka, and outlying communities including the Butte Valley area. Travelers arriving via commercial carriers at Redding (RDD) or Medford (MFR) should plan approximately 1.5 to 2 hours of driving time to reach Yreka or the Butte Valley plateau.