Due to its isolation, some of its peaks had their first ascents as late as the 1940s.

[3] Named peaks of the Butler Range, from west to east, are Bamford Knob (1,845 metres or 6,053 feet),[4] Tohunga Peak (1,926 metres or 6,319 feet),[5] Mount Whataroa (2,123 metres or 6,965 feet; first ascended 1949),[6] Mount Rangatira (2,157 metres or 7,077 feet),[7] and Mount Ariki (2,193 metres or 7,195 feet; first ascended 1949).

[8][2] The range can be seen from State Highway 6 from where it crosses the Whataroa River.

[12] On its northern side, Butler Range is bounded by the Perth River.

[13] Some mountaineers call the range south of the Butler River extending from King Peak[14] to Mount Huss (located on the Main Divide)[15] the South Butler Range; Mount Barrowman[16] and Dog Kennel Peak[17] are the two named intermediate peaks.