Recreation Rentals of the Pacific Northwest

US Forest Service

Map of Forests

Bureau of Land Management

Oregon and Washington

National Park Service

North Cascades

Bald Butte Lookout - Oregon

Fremont-Winema National Forests

History

Built in the summer of 1931, Bald Butte Lookout served as a Forest Service fire detection site for over 50 years. It was constructed from an Aladdin L4 Ground-mounted Lookout kit; all of the pieces were pre-cut in six-foot lengths or less so the entire kit could be packed by horses into the remote site. The total cost of the structure at the time was $668.49 and only took a few days to assemble.

By 1992, the lookout was abandoned and reduced to shambles by vandals and the elements of weather. Fortunately, a number of Fremont-Winema National Forests employees took an interest in restoring the old lookout as a Passport in Time project to preserve it for the future and provide a recreational rental opportunity for forest visitors. Forest Service employees worked together during the 1993 and 1994 summers to restore the lookout and build the period furniture from original 1930s plans.

Description

Renovated to be fully accessible to visitors, the lookout is furnished with a double bed and mattress, a table and bench and storage cabinets. It also features a propane heater, cook stove, refrigerator and lights. An outdoor picnic table and an accessible outhouse are also on site. Drinking water is not available, so visitors must bring plenty of water for drinking, cooking and washing.

Area Attractions & Activities

While at the lookout, sit back and relax. Bring binoculars for bird watching and a camera for photographing sunrises, sunsets and all the visual gifts nature has to offer. Gearhart Mountain Wilderness and other trails are nearby. A bounty of wildflowers can be found along the Sprague River and the meadows close by. As darkness descends, take advantage of the beautiful night sky and discover star watching in Oregon’s outback.

Amenities

• Accessible Lookout
• Accessible Outhouse
• Picnic Table
• Heater
• Stove
• Refrigerator
• Lights

Pets

Pets are welcome.

Smoking

No smoking.

Directions

From the Paisley District Office, travel half a mile north on Highway 31, and turn left on Mill Street. Stay on Mill Street to the “Y” junction, and then turn right on Forest Service Road (FSR) 3315. Continue on FSR 3315 for 21 miles. Turn left on FSR 28, and travel half a mile to the junction with FSR 3411. Turn right on 3411, travel 2 miles to FSR 450, and turn right; this leads to top of Bald Butte.

The last two miles of road to Bald Butte Lookout are minimally passable for low clearance or highway vehicles. This road, FSR 450, is steep, rough, and may have grapefruit-sized rocks that should be moved. FSR 450 is near Whitehorse Creek, and is fairly easy to find from FSR 3411. Large RVs are not recommended.