Mount Hood National Forest

Clear Lake Butte L.O.

Oregon Lookouts

Location.

Mt Hood National Forest

Status.

Active; Currently standing

Estimated drive time from Portland, OR.

1-1/2 hours

Date visited.

July 10, 2022

Elevation.

4,458′

National Historic Lookout Register.

Yes

Trip Report.

After our week long road trip dedicated to seeing Fire Lookouts in southern and south-eastern Oregon, we decided to look somewhere a little closer to home for a day trip. Clear Lake Butte has been in our back pocket for such an occasion given its easy access and proximity to Portland. Its popularity as a winter destination has kept us away in the colder months, but we knew it was actively staffed in the summer. I personally much rather talk to the lookout attendant than come upon some random renters during their winter stay. We left fairly early in the morning and found ourselves at the gated road before 10am. From Portland, you will want to head out to HWY-26 towards Government Camp. We turned right onto NF-42 which is past the turn off for Clear Lake Campground. The road to Clear Lake Butte is NF-240 off to the right. It should be obvious due to the gate, but it will be the second road down NF-42 on the right hand side. All roads are paved and parking is just a pull out at the beginning of NF-240. In the winter, you’d want to park at the snow park and hike in from there.

A renter, or some yayhoo, had ripped out the gate with their vehicle during the winter season. There were make shift road blocks and a sign that stated “Area Behind This Sign CLOSED to Public Entry” as replacement during our visit. The sign made us pause for a minute, but we decided to continue on since the Forest Service website noted the area as open. I assumed the sign was added to help deter any additional vandalism and disturbances to the lookout. We hoped for the best as we headed up the road. From the gate, it is a 2 mile road walk on mostly pavement with close to 1000′ in elevation gain. There’s not much of a view from the road or base of the lookout, but it is a nice walk in the woods. Once we reached the summit, all our worries about the sign were quickly squashed when Michelle greeted us. She was very friendly and immediately invited us up to check out the view. We even got to meet her very adorable dog. We talked with her for a long time about fire lookouts, the FFLA, the pros/cons of a fire lookout on the rental program, along with other interests. Based on her visitor log, we were only the fourth group up here for the season or at least that signed her book. She wondered if the sign would deter some people from visiting this year. After our visit, we had a brief lunch at the picnic table below the lookout and tried to find the crows nest on our walk back to the car. There are allegedly remnants of it remaining, but we were unsuccessful in our attempt to locate it.

Lookout Michelle

Michelle has worked on Clear Lake Butte for the last 8 seasons and the Mt Hood National Forest since 2004. She is accompanied by her sweet 13 year old rescue dog, Gidget. She can work up to 14 day straight since she doesn’t have a designated relief. She used to work in dispatch for the Forest Service and has also done work on a timber crew. She started working on Fire Lookouts when the primary lookout on Hickman Butte needed someone to fill in for them. Despite being in a busy area of Mt Hood NF, she only received around 84 visitors in 2021. Clear Lake Butte is currently part of the rental program which has caused problems for her during the start of season. Renters will move her stuff around, leave food/items that she has to clean up (this also attracts mice), someone stole her National Historic Lookout Register sign, and even tore out the gate to the road last season. There is even a protected board on the interior of the lookout that has been signed by everyone who has staffed it in the past. Renters will sometimes pry off the protected layer to try and crave their names with everyone else. Michelle has had to sand out a few names.

Book recommendation: Tatoosh by Martha Hardy

History.

Clear Lake Butte started with a crows nest tree just southeast of the true summit. I couldn’t find any information on what year the crows nest was built though. In 1932, a ring-connected timber tower with cab was built. It stood somewhere between 100′ to 110′ tall (Every site listed it at a different height and I couldn’t find a consensus). Old pictures show a cabin at the base for living quarters. The tower looked similar to the L-6 design on Frazier Point. This tower was briefly used for Aircraft Warning in the early 1940s. In 1962, it was replaced with the current 41′ treated timber tower and R-6 cab. It is still actively staffed every season.

More Information.

NW Hiker

AllTrails

Recreation.gov

4 Popular Hikes That Are Former Fire Lookout Sites

Former Lookouts

In the prime of fire suppression, Oregon had over 800 fire lookouts and Washington had 750 fire lookouts topped on almost every high peak in both the states. Many were dismantled, destroyed, or burned down in a blaze of glory. But remains of the foundation can usually be found on the summits as a reminder to what once stood. Below lists 4 popular hikes close to Portland, OR that have a history in fire detection and lookouts.

Beacon Rock

Location.

Beacon Rock State Park – Columbia River Gorge

Estimated drive time from Portland, OR.

1 hour

Mileage.

1.5 miles RT

Elevation.

730′

Beacon rock is one of the tallest monoliths in North America and stands at 848 feet tall. It is also considered one of the most distinctive geological features in the Columbia River Gorge. The route follows a mostly blasted and bridged trail on the exposed west side of the rock. Parts of the trail have been paved over throughout the years and is completely lined with handrails. It is basically just a series of short continuous switchbacks to the summit. The history behind Beacon Rock is extensive and interesting. The feature itself was once the core of a volcano and what remains is what was able to withstand the force of ice-age floods. It was noted and named as Beacon Rock by Lewis & Clark during their voyage in 1805. Though I’m sure it had a different name for those native to the area. It was even slated for demolition at one point for either railroad construction or a new jetty on the Columbia River Gorge. Henry Biddle bought the rock and surrounding area before this happened. He is also the one who originally built the trail between 1915 to 1918. His property was later offered to the Washington State Parks by his estate for $1. The Washington State Parks originally refused this offer until Oregon expressed interest in maintaining it as a park. It was purchased by the Washington State Parks in 1935. Although you won’t find any remnants of a former lookout structure on the summit of this rock, it does have a history in fire detection. Given the height of the rock, it was used as a fire detection camp from the 1930s up until the 1950s when it was abandoned. I’ve hiked this trail more than any other trail and with more people than any other trail I’ve every hiked. It is a good beginner trail or trail for showing your out of town friends to a quick hike.

More Information.

Oregon Hikers

AllTrails

Saddle Mountain

Location.

Saddle Mountain State Natural Area

Estimated drive time from Portland, OR.

1-1/2 hours

Mileage.

5.2 miles RT

Elevation.

3,283′

The top of Saddle Mountain offers expansive views from the Pacific Ocean all the way to Mt Hood. It is no question why they would want to have a lookout on this summit. The trail switchbacks through an old growth forest until you reach the last push up the rocky slope. Parts of the trail are covered in mesh wiring to help with erosion and traction. It is a steep 1,640′ gain in elevation over 2.5 miles to the summit. Saddle Mountain was established as a fire camp in 1913 with a log cabin situated below the summit. In 1920, a frame cabin with observation platform was built. It was replaced in 1953 by a 2-story live-in cabin. The lookout structure was destroyed in 1966. I have been on this summit a few different times but didn’t take the time to look for any remnants of foundation.

More Information.

Oregon Hikers

AllTrails

Dog Mountain

Location.

Gifford Pinchot National Forest – Columbia River Gorge

Estimated drive time from Portland, OR.

1-1/2 hours

Mileage.

6.5 miles RT

Elevation.

2,480′

Stretching my calves on the way up
wildflowers on the trail!
Near the summit where we turned around

Dog Mountain is a very popular hike in the Columbia River Gorge due to its proximity to town and being right off of HWY-14. In the spring, between March 31st and July 1st, permits are required to hike this trail on the weekends. This is due to the hazardous conditions created for the cars on the highway by the overflow of people during wildflower season. There are a few different routes and loops that can be done to reach the summit once at the trailhead. My friend and I completed this hike on a hot July day before the permit system was in place. We arrived to the trailhead early to give us enough time to reach the summit and attempt to beat the crowds. We took the “less difficult” route which is the newer trail and offers more views on your steep climb up. We made it just past the former fire lookout site, also known as the Puppy Dog Lookout site, before turning around. I vaguely remember there still being some foundation there. The trail originally was developed to service this fire lookout that was destroyed in 1967. The original lookout was constructed in 1931 as a gable-roofed L-4 cab with windows only on three sides. It was replaced in 1953 by a standard L-4 cab. Both structures were located 1/4 mile from the actual summit of Dog Mountain. I used to have more pictures from this hike, even one of us standing on the former lookout site, but they have been lost in multiple phone transitions since 2017.

More Information.

Oregon Hikers

AllTrails

Mt. Defiance

Location.

Mt Hood National Forest – Columbia River Gorge

Estimated drive time from Portland, OR.

1 hour

Mileage.

12.5 miles RT

Elevation.

4,960′

Mt Rainier
Mt Adams
Mt Hood
Mt Saint Helens & Wind Mountain

Mt. Defiance is one of the more brutal hikes I’ve done. It is the highest peak in the Columbia River Gorge and offers views out towards Mt Hood NF as well. This made it the perfect candidate for a fire lookout site. I recommend starting this hike early if you want to make it to the summit and back before dark. Or at least hike a lot faster than I do. We didn’t start this hike until mid-morning and ended up getting back to the car after dark. The hike starts out paved and passes some pretty waterfalls. Once you have reached the junction with the un-paved trail you will start to go up and continue to go up the rest of the way. There are still some communication buildings on the summit and I’m sure there are foundation remnants if you spend some time looking for them. We didn’t spend much time here since it took me so long to get there. The trail had recently re-opened after the Eagle Creek Fire in 2017. The ashy portions of the trail made for un-stable ground and was hard for me on the hike down. By the time I got back to the car my feet felt like they were going to fall off completely. The first fire lookout on this site was a crow’s nest and tent in 1925. A more substantial structure was built in 1934 as a 40′ pole tower with L-4 cab. This was eventually replaced by a 41′ treated timber tower with L-4 cab in 1952. In 1959, the lookout was destroyed by a windstorm. The Forest Service didn’t build a replacement lookout until 1962 which was a R-6 flat top cab and 41′ treated timber tower. It was completely removed from the summit in 1971.

Struggling on the way up, but with a view!
Dying on the summit, also with view!

More Information.

Oregon Hikers

AllTrails

Crow’s Nests of Mt Hood National Forest

Oregon Lookouts

Remnants to the early days of fire detection can still be found in parts of the Mt Hood National Forest. Crow’s nest lookouts are typically a platform that sits on top of a tree with a ladder nailed to the trunk. Before there were lookout towers, fire attendants used to climb the trees to spot fires in the area.

Joe’s Point.

Date visited.

October 16, 2021; October 9, 2022

Elevation.

3,653′

History.

Joe’s point was an open platform built atop a large Ponderosa Pine in the 1930s. There was also a 12×12 cabin built for the lookout in the 1940s. The cabin is no longer on the summit, but you can still see pieces of the old platform and ladder. There’s a nice view of Mt Hood from the rock quarry where you park your car.

Directions.

Take NF-44 to NF-4440 to NF-140. Drive to the end of NF-140 and park your car. NF-140 is a bit bumpy in a passenger vehicle but doable. Once parked you will need to hike the old decommissioned road for about a mile. Follow the blue diamond markers on the trees, but be aware there are other roads in this area marked with blue diamonds that could lead you astray.

Perry Point.

Date visited.

October 17, 2021

Elevation.

4,920′

History.

Perry point was a crow’s nest platform built atop a Douglas Fir in the 1930s and abandoned in the 1940s. It was noted as a potential patrol point for Fivemile Butte L.O. There are only a few boards left on top of the tree and will most likely not be there for much longer. The view from the point is still worth the short hike up.

Directions.

Take NF-44 to NF-120 and park you car at the trailhead for Eightmile Loop Trail #496. From the trailhead it is a little under a mile to Perry Point. You will want to follow the signs for Bottle Prairie Trail #455. The first trail junction is only marked in one direction. You will want to take the trail to the right until you meet the second junction. From the second junction stay left until you see a sign for Perry Point. The trail to the right of the sign will take you directly to the crow’s nest. It is the tree at the very end of a rocky butte and can be hard to spot.

Take the trail to the right
Take the trail to the left
Take the trail to the right of the sign

Rocky Butte.

Date visited.

November 20, 2021

Elevation.

4,796′

History.

Rocky Butte crows nest was built in 1929 atop a 60′ Ponderosa Pine. It has been abandoned for a long time, but remnants of the ladder and guy wires can still be found on the summit. You can also find a USDA Forest Service Benchmark on the summit dated back to 1924. This is my favorite of the crow’s nests we’ve been able to locate. The views from the summit are worth the short climb up alone.

Directions.

From Tygh Valley take Wamic-Market Road through Wamic. This road eventually turns into NF-48. Turn right onto NF-4810 towards Camp Cody. Stay on NF-4810 until you reach a four way junction with NF-4811 and NF-4813. Turn right onto NF-4811 and then left on to NF-4812 shortly after. Continue on this road until you reach the trailhead sign. The road washes out about a 1/2 mile from the trailhead but a higher clearance vehicle will have no issues. There is limited pull out room for parking. It’s only a short 1/2 mile hike up the trail once you find the trailhead.

Bus Point.

Date visited.

November 21, 2021

Elevation.

3,333′

History.

Bus point was built as a crow’s nest in 1933 but has since been abandoned. It sat atop a 95′ Ponderosa Pine and was accessed via a 32′ ladder. The ladder leaned against the tree and was wired in place. From the ladder, the lookout attendant then had to navigate the branches to reach the top. The ladder and tree were still standing when we visited but the tree is no longer living and there are visible signs of rot. I would recommend seeing this one sooner than later.

Directions.

Same directions as Rocky Butte but instead of turning right on to NF-4811 at the four way junction, you will turn left. You will take NF-4811 until you reach an un-signed three way junction. NF-4811 in this directions has some large potholes but I was able to maneuver them with caution in my Civic. You will pass NF-4814 on the right and paved NF-4820 on the left before reaching the major junction where you will park. It’s good to have a detailed map of this area since there are a lot of skid roads you will pass as well and no definitive marker for this one. From the junction you will cross country hike off the road to the right following a game path. My tracker said we only went 0.16 miles before reaching the tree. We were able to find it right away with no issues.

Parking at Junction

Where the game trail starts

Eightmile Point.

Date visited.

October 8, 2022

Elevation.

5,280′

History.

There isn’t much history on this crow’s nest. It was built in the 1930’s atop a Fir and I presume abandoned in the 1940s with the rest of them. Unfortunately, this one is no longer standing and we were only able to find remnants of it. It was hard to pin point which tree was the previous lookout tree on the ground. But, we found the general area with some remaining wire, boards, an insulator, and the help of some other lookout enthusiasts that were also trying to find it that day.

Directions.

Head into the Mt. Hood NF from Dufur taking a right on Dufur Valley Road that eventually turns into NF-44 once you reach the forest. Turn left on NF-4420 until you reach a junction with a major gravel road leading right. From here, if you continue straight it turns into NF-2730. But, you will want to stay on NF-4420 and turn right onto the gravel. You will stay on this road until you reach the trailhead for Fifteenmile Trail #456 off to the left (parking on the right). It’s an obvious trail just past the junction with spur road NF-160. Park your car and walk the remaining distance up the trail to reach Eightmile Point. It is less than a half of a mile up the trail. The trail connects to other roads and can be reached from other directions, but we found this to be the most direct.

Fivemile Butte L.O.

Oregon Lookouts

Location.

Mount Hood National Forest

Status.

Rental program; Currently standing

Estimated drive time from Portland, OR.

2 hours

Date visited.

October 16, 2021

Elevation.

4,627′

National Historic Lookout Register.

Yes

Trip Report.

My partner already visited Fivemile Butte L.O. earlier this year with his dad. We decided to come back for the weekend since I still needed to check it off my list. We also wanted to see if we could locate some of the crow’s nests in the area. The best access for passenger vehicles is to take NF-44 to NF-4430 until you reach the gate on NF-122. Reminder to not block the gate and park near the road junction instead. From the gate, it is a short 1/2 mile road walk. The road is drivable but requires caution on some of the more rutted out portions. It can also be accessed via hiking trails if you are not comfortable driving. In the winter, you can access it via the Billy Bob Sno-Park. This lookout is part of the rental program and can be booked year-round. Fivemile Butte L.O. is very popular due to its easy access and proximity. There were renters there when we checked it out which was expected but a bit awkward. Make sure to respect their space and do not climb the stairs. We didn’t stay long except to take a few pictures before heading back to my car for lunch. We were surprised to find no other visitors on the summit since we had passed a full trailhead. I think I would have a hard time staying here with all the day hikers and traffic. I assume you would get less visitation in the winter months though.

History.

The current lookout on Fivemile Butte was built in 1957 as a 14×14 R-6 flat roof cab atop a 40′ treated timber tower. It is furnished with a small bed, wood stove, propane cooking stove, table, chairs, and solar-powered lights. There is a vault toilet, storage shed full of firewood, picnic table, and fire ring on the summit as well. Everything else is on a pack it in, pack it out basis. The original lookout for this site was built in the 1920s. It was a 30′ pole tower with a small cab. It was replaced in 1932 by another 30′ tower with standard L-4 cab. This was later destroyed by heavy snow in 1942. The L-4 tower that replaced it untraditionally had a trap door inside the cab. I couldn’t find any information on when this lookout stopped being staffed and became part of the rental program.

Bonus pictures of our camp spot because we had a view of Flag Point L.O. on the ridgeline.

More Information.

US Forest Service

Recreation.gov

Sisi Butte L.O.

Oregon Lookouts

Location.

Mount Hood National Forest

Status.

Active; Currently standing

Estimated drive time from Portland, OR.

2-1/2 hours

Date visited.

July 24, 2021

Elevation.

5,617′

National Historic Lookout Register.

Yes

Trip Report.

My partner and I decided to explore somewhere a little closer to home this weekend. We set out seeking dispersed camp spots near Sisi Butte L.O. with the expectation of hiking to it before heading out the next morning. We figured we would have to spend the majority of the day finding a camp spot since Mount Hood NF is a popular area, but we were able to find one fairly early in the day. After finding camp we decided we had enough day light to hike up to Sisi Butte L.O. that evening instead. We found the gated road NF-120 off of NF-4220. Driving here with my Civic posed no issues. We almost drove past it since it wasn’t signed, but after seeing previous trip reports with pictures of the gate we knew we were at the right road. There are no trails up to the summit and they keep the road gated to help deter vandals. The only way to reach the lookout is via road walking. It’s a fairly easy 3 miles one-way with 1,400 feet of elevation gain. Just remember to not block the gate when you park your car. Given the condition of the road, we most likely would’ve had to walk to the summit even if it wasn’t gated. We passed a trailer camped in a pull out on the hike up where the full-time lookout attendant stays during the night instead of in the tower. The trailer didn’t appear to be currently occupied. Sisi Butte L.O. is staffed in high fire danger so we knew there would be an active lookout attendant when we reached the summit. Always make sure to be respectful of the active lookout attendant’s space and only climb the tower if you’ve been invited up. When we reached the summit we were greeted by Brent who was the lookout fill in for the weekend. We assumed the full time lookout that stays here during the week must have gone to town since they weren’t in their trailer. Brent invited us up and offered to let us explore the cab. It was his first official day up there for the season. Wildfire season had already started but we were lucky enough to get some spectacular views that weren’t completely hazy. We chatted with Brent for a while about wildfires and other lookouts in the area. He used to be a wildland fire fighter and was very knowledgeable on the subject. He showed us the active Bruler Fire, that was burning on the Deschutes NF, with the fire finder. He said it was the only one he could currently see. I found it interesting that he didn’t stay in the lookout cab either. He lived close enough to make the drive up and down everyday during the weekends. We didn’t want to pester him too long so we said our good byes, thanked him for the visit, and started our hike back down.

Mt Jefferson

Part of Sisi Butte
Mt Hood

History.

I couldn’t find information on the first lookout that was built on this butte except that it was sometime in the 1940s. It was later replaced with a 40′ tower and standard L-4 cab in 1953. It served as the main lookout until it was dismantled in 1997 to prepare for the current lookout to be built. Similar to Calamity Butte, the current lookout is a 50′ tower with an octagonal cab. I’m not sure how many other lookouts where built in this style between 1996 and 2001 but these are the only two I’ve seen so far. The tower was in good condition despite missing its copper wires. Those help to ground it during a lightning storm. Brent said that instead of replacing the wire they are expected to vacate the area whenever a lightning storm passes through. He stated that it was low on their priority list for budget in replacements. They did recently do some maintenance around the base of the lookout though. They cut down all the trees closest to the lookout on the summit when it was threatened by the Riverside/Lionshead Fires. They hoped to create a more defensible space for fire breaks.

More Information.

Oregon Hikers

NW Hiker

Flag Point L.O.

Oregon Lookouts

Location.

Mount Hood National Forest

Status.

Active; Currently standing

Estimated drive time from Portland, OR.

2-1/2 hours

Date visited.

June 5th, 2021

Elevation.

5,650′

National Historic Lookout Register.

Yes

Trip Report.

There are multiple ways to get to Flag Point Lookout via roads and trails. My partner and I had decided to disperse camp in the area for a night due to the proximity to Portland. We hadn’t planned on hiking this trail but knew we were close when we were looking for camp spots along FS-2720. We ended up reaching the end of the road and decided to hike to the lookout since we were already there. There is an un-marked connector trail that starts from the end of the road on the left side and meets up with Tygh Creek trail #460 in the Badger Creek Wilderness. You’ll follow this trail until you come to a fork where it continues up or down the ridge, you will want to continue up along the Tygh Creek trail #460. The trail leading down is the Tygh Creek Cut-Off trail #460A and will only take you farther into the wilderness. You could potentially do this as a loop using Little Badger Trail #469 from Tygh Creek Cut-Off Trail #460A . We did meet two people hiking out before we started that mentioned they had done this loop. They said there were still some patches of snow along Little Badger Trail #469 so we opted for an out and back. Eventually Tygh Creek trail #460 meets up with FS-200. You will have to road walk the remainder of the distance to get to the lookout. From FS-2720 to the lookout is about 2.5 miles one-way and gains 1,122 feet of elevation. It was a cold day with some stormy gusts of wind rolling through when we visited. We even had a rain and snow mix on the summit. Due to the weather we didn’t get the prominent view of Mount Hood that is visible from the summit. Be careful on your hike back down if you take this route. We completely missed the unmarked connector trail back to FS-2720 and ended up hiking along Tygh Creek Trail #460 for longer than we needed. Eventually we were able to find it after paying closer attention and back tracking a couple times.

History.

The current lookout is an R-6 15’x15′ flat top style cab that was built in 1973. It is still actively staffed in the summer but was boarded up for the season when we were there. Flag Point Butte had two other lookouts on the summit before being replaced with the current one. The first lookout was built in 1924 as a 6’x6′ observation cabin on a 40′ tower. The fire lookout used to tent camp below since it wasn’t a live in cabin. In 1932 the observation cabin was replaced by a standard L-4 cab on a 30′ tower. The existing lookout used to be available for rentals in the winter but was removed from the register in 2016. They had trouble maintaining this in the winter conditions due to the remote location and vandalism.

Devil’s Peak L.O.

Oregon Lookouts

Location.

Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness; Mount Hood National Forest

Status.

Maintained; Currently standing

Estimated drive time from Portland, OR.

1-1/2 hours

Date visited.

November 9, 2019

Elevation.

5,045′

National Historic Lookout Register.

Yes

Trip Report.

My partner and I decided to do Devil’s Peak L.O. as a day hike via Cool Creek Trail #794. There are other access trails to this lookout but this one seemed to be the most direct. And by most direct I mean very steep. It was like the Stairmaster of hikes. For 3.5 miles you are essentially walking straight up and when you think you’re close you will continue to hike up. It climbs a grueling 3,200 feet of elevation in those few miles. The trail starts off of NF-2612 which is also marked as Still Creek Road. It is paved most of the way until the last 1/2 mile where it turns to maintained gravel. The trailhead is just a pullout along the one lane road and can be missed if you’re not looking for the sign. We didn’t see anyone else our whole hike up to the lookout. We had a quick lunch at the summit as we explored the inside. It was a cloudy November day and we were rapidly losing sunlight. As we raced down the trail we passed another couple on their way to the summit. We were surprised to see someone else heading up so late. They only had day packs as well so we knew they weren’t staying the night. Most of our hike down was in blue hour and by the last mile we had our head lamps out. We didn’t reach my Civic until it was already dark out. The other couple came down shortly after us with their own set of head lamps. Off season hiking always becomes a race against the sun.

History.

Devil’s Peak L.O. was originally built in 1924 and decommissioned in 1964. It is an 8′ tower with an L-4 cab and listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. The lookout is maintained by volunteers and they have kept it in great condition. The entire structure is open to the public and you can even stay in it on a first-come first-serve basis. I really want to do this sometime but the thought of lugging a heavy backpack up this trail is less appealing. There is no water source up there either, so not only do you have to carry your standard gear but water as well. You still get views of Mt Hood and the surrounding peaks but since it hasn’t been active in years the trees are slowly obstructing the tower’s views.

More Information.

US Forest Service

Oregon Hikers

AllTrails

Bull of the Woods L.O.

Former Lookouts, Oregon Lookouts

Location.

Bull of the Woods Wilderness; Mount Hood National Forest

Status.

Burned in Bull Complex Fire; September 6, 2021

Estimated drive time from Portland, OR.

1-1/2 hours

Date visited.

September 23, 2018

Elevation.

5,520′

National Historic Lookout Register.

Yes

Incident Management Team officials confirmed last night that the Bull of the Woods Lookout located within the Bull of the Woods Wilderness was lost due to fire activity yesterday. This lookout was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and frequently visited by those who enjoy the history and background of Fire Lookouts. “We acknowledge that losing this historic Lookout is a loss that will be felt by many in the area and beyond,” said Rick Connell, Incident Commander of NR Team 4.

Over the past several weeks as the fire moved towards the historic Lookout, several actions had been taken by firefighters to protect it. Plans to wrap the Lookout in structure wrap material were made several times but had to be cancelled due to dangerous conditions to firefighter safety and the unavailability of trained personnel. Working on dangerously high and structurally compromised materials in a remote wilderness location to wrap a structure requires firefighters who are specifically trained for that type of work. If a person falls from a high surface without appropriate fall protection training and equipment the consequences could be severe. The extremely steep terrain on all sides of the Lookout’s location also creates dangerous wildfire conditions where fire can move quickly uphill without warning. The combination of safe forecasted fire behavior conditions and trained personnel needed were never able to converge for structure wrapping. The safety of the public and firefighters is always the highest priority in fire response.

On August 31 a helicopter rappelling fire crew flew to the site and cleared trees and brush around the Lookout to make it more defensible. The crew could not safely remain at the site since it was on steep terrain directly in front of the approaching fire. For the past six days numerous hours of helicopter flight time had been used to drop water to slow the movement towards and intensity of the fire near the lookout. Yesterday, smoke obscured visibility on the north side of the fire and it wasn’t safe to fly aviation in that area.

On September 5 fire activity increased on three slope aspects below the Lookout site. This type of fire behavior is what was concerning for firefighter safety every time the discussion came up about firefighters working at the Lookout site. A smoke inversion and active fire behavior limited visibility for aircraft to safely fly and limited the tactical operations that could be performed for fire suppression. There are no safety zones or roads near the Lookout for firefighters to safely engage in firefighting on the ground. The fire was also making a push and threatening multiple values at risk on other portions of the fire at the same time. It is disappointing to see a historic structure like this Lookout destroyed by fire. However, many photos and stories have been preserved to continue to tell the story of the Bull of the Woods Lookout for years to come

-Mt Hood NF, September 6th 2021

Trip Report.

I’m reminiscing about this beautiful fire lookout in the middle of a rugged Oregon wilderness. Unlike most fire lookouts, there are no roads that lead here. Access was via the multiple interlocking trails found in the wilderness. The most direct route, and the one I took to get there, was the Bull of the Woods Trail #550. The trail switchbacks through shady woods until you crest the ridge line. You will gain 1,250 feet of elevation over 3.2 miles. Once you reach the ridge you are exposed to spectacular views as far as Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson, and Three Fingered Jack.

I hiked this trail with one of my good friends back in September 2018. I feel lucky now that we were able to see this when it was still standing. NF-6340 was a decent gravel road up until the end where it was rutted out due to people driving it in wet conditions. But my Civic was able to make it to the trailhead with some careful maneuvering. It was a colder day that felt like the beginning of fall. The understory was still wet from a recent rain and the clouds were rolling over the sun throughout the day. We had the trail to ourselves for the entire hike up and our summit lunch. It wasn’t until we were packing up to leave that we met an older couple and their dog at the summit. They even made a comment about my Civic being at the trailhead and that they were impressed it made it up there.

History.

This lookout was an L-4 built in 1942 and regularly used until 1963. The forest service intermittently staffed it in high fire danger until the mid-1980s. In the early 2000s, volunteers with the Sand Mountain Society helped renovate it but it had seen better days. When I visited in 2018 the cabin was shuttered and locked aside from the few boards that were pried off and a broken window. The catwalk was mostly useable but had some broken boards as well. Unfortunately, its structural integrity is a moot point, given that it burned in the 2021 Bull Complex fire. The trail and forest will recover and still make for a great day hike once the area is reopened.

My heart breaks as we lose more of these historic structures every year. All I can do is hope that I get a chance to experience them while they’re still here!