8 gorgeous fire lookouts you can rent in Northern California
There are a lot of amazing and popular ways to camp in California, from Yosemite National Park to a weekend away in the Mendocino National Forest to backpacking in the Trinity Alps near Mount Shasta. But here's one option you may not have thought of yet.
Perched high on a mountaintop in some of the most rugged forests, a handful of fire lookouts are for rent in Northern California. Some open up for booking each year in December, so if you have your eye on one of these unusual cabins in the woods, hover over your computer and get ready to click and reserve.
All of the lookouts can be reserved through Recreation.gov.
Be sure to check if the lookout allows fires before you go. Some do and others don't, so if you're imagining an evening of s'mores under the stars, this may be a vital tidbit to check.
Here's a look at some of the options you can reserve:
Pine Mountain Lookout in Mendocino
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Pine Mountain Lookout was built on an outcropping in the Mendocino National Forest in 1933, and was and used to spot fires until 1942. The lookout is at an elevation of 4,400 feet, and is the definition of rustic, buried deep within a forest of Ponderosa Pine, Douglas fir, black oak and madrone trees. If you want to stay here, you have to bring all your own supplies, including water, and will need to pack all your trash out.
This lookout is a bit different than the typical lookout; it only spots 180 degrees instead of the 360. But the views are stunning and face west, so you can see the sun setting over the surrounding mountain peaks.
The site is accessible by car and is 19 miles from the nearest town of Upper Lake. People can only stay here from May through October.
Online reservations for the cabin, which costs just $50 per night, began December 18, 2017, and can be made up to six months in advance.
Bear Basin Lookout and Cabin near Oregon
Bear Basin Lookout and Cabin is located almost near the Oregon border. This awe-inspiring spot is far away from crowds and people, and is perched on a narrow mountain ridge at 5,280 feet. The booking includes both the lookout and Pierson cabin, and you'll be able to see wide swaths of forest and the glimmering Pacific Ocean.
The lookout is truly remote, and the U.S. Forest Service recommends heading there in a 4x4 or high-clearance vehicle. The main road was damaged last winter, and the only access now takes two hours one way, and has areas of washout.
If you do want to brave the bumpy ride, this lookout and cabin can accommodate up to 12 people. Everyone must bring their own amenities as there is no water or electricity on site.
This lookout and cabin costs $75 per night up to 8 people, and then $5 per night more for an additional person.
It's available to rent online starting December 21st and can be rented up to six months in advance. The forest service says this is a very popular lookout, so you better be poised at your computer exactly six months ahead of when you want to stay.
This lookout and cabin won't open until July 15, 2018 due to heavy snow over the winter.
Oak Flat Lookout in the Sequoia National Forest
The Oak Flat Lookout is good for anyone who's not afraid of heights. This lookout is at an elevation of 4,900 feet, but it also teeters high above the ground on stilts. People who want to stay in the Oak Flat Lookout have to climb 40 steep steps to the tower, or be pulled up hand-over-hand in a small basket.
The lookout has been there for a while — it was built in 1934 so firefighters could keep an eye on the surrounding forests.
The tower overlooks the Kern River and Kern River Valley, and has views of the surrounding mountains, river and valley.
People who want to stay at this lookout have to bring all their own provisions, but there is a little stove inside for cooking. If you can't carry your stuff up the narrow stairs, there's always the hand-cranked basket.
This lookout costs $50 to $75 per night and can be booked starting December 22, 2017. You can book up to six months in advance.
McCarthy Point Lookout near Lassen National Park
The McCarthy Point Lookout in Mill Creek in Lassen National Forest is situated at 3,600 feet amongst towering evergreens, and was built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Then, during World War II, the lookout was used as part of an air defense monitoring system.
This gorgeous little lookout has two room with a kitchen and bedroom, and panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. The kitchen does come with some rustic creature comforts like a propane cook stove and sinks with running, non-potable water. You have to bring in your own drinking water to this site. Also, guests have to bring their own bedding, cooking pots, utensils, etc.
The U.S. Forest Service recommends a high-clearance vehicle to get to this site, then you'll have to truck your stuff 1,000 feet along a paved trail to reach the lookout. If you arrive in the dark, don't do it without a headlamp unless you want to fall off a nearby cliff.
It costs $75 per night to stay at this lookout. It's available for online booking starting December 23, 2017, and can be booked out six months in advance.
Little Mt. Hoffman Lookout near Mount Shasta
This 14-by-14 foot lookout has stunning views of Mt. Shasta, with Mt. Lassen and Oregon's Mt. McLoughlin rising in the distance.
This lookout is also one of Northern California's highest, sitting at 7,309 feet. It was built in the 1920s and used to spot fires until 1978, then was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Sometimes, the Forest Service still uses the lookout when there's extreme fire danger.
You can drive up to this lookout, but keep in mind the last four miles are on unpaved roads, which aren't good for RVs or cars pulling trailers.
As with the other lookouts, remember to bring all your own supplies, including bedding and cooking supplies. The lookout has a fire pit and picnic table outside, perfect for enjoying chilly evenings in the mountains.
Little Mt. Hoffman sits on a huge cinder cone, which is the largest volcano in California.
This lookout costs $75 per night. It's available for online booking starting December 23, 2017, and can be booked out six months in advance.
Hirz Mountain Lookout near Mount Shasta
The Hirz Mountain Lookout is perched 20 feet in the air on Hirz Mountain, and has views of the McCloud River and Mount Shasta. When it was first build in 1937, the tower sat on the ground, but was raised up to the top of a steel K-brace tower in 1949.
The lookout sits at 3,540 feet and has 360-degree views.
If you want to stay at this lookout, be prepared for a rugged ride. The road is rocky and steep with limited availability, and high-clearance vehicles are recommended. At the end, you'll have to walk a quarter mile the rest of the way. Also, it's a rustic spot, and you may see a rattlesnake or a bear while spending the night here.
The cabin can accommodate four people, and you have to bring all your gear.
The Hirz Mountain Lookout costs $75 per night and online booking is available starting December 23. The cabin can be booked out up to six months in advance.
Girard Ridge Lookout near Mount Shasta
The panoramic views from this lookout are incredible, as you'll be able to see Mount Shasta and the rocky peaks of Castle Crags by day and a starry sky by night. The lookout is perched at 4,809 feet in a beautiful evergreen forest. It was built in 1931 and used regularly by the Forest Service until 1982, and is one of the last remaining historic lookouts in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
Be ready to climb when you get to Girard Ridge Lookout, as its 13 feet off the ground. It's 14-by-14 square feet with a catwalk outside and wide windows. A vault toilet is about 30 feet away.
The lookout can sleep four people and is a 3-mile hike from the Pacific Crest Trail.
It costs $75 per night to stay here, and reservations can be made online starting December 23, 2017 and up to six months in advance.
CalPine Lookout in the Sierra Nevada
This is one of the only lookouts that's open year-round, and you'll have to get lucky to find an available night to stay in this remote outpost.
The forest fire lookout tower was built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and is only one of three lookouts left that are an enclosed-windmill shape. The Forest Service used this lookout until 1975, and it's a 3-story structure with the rentable part at the very top, called the observation cab.
The lookout is up at 5,980 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Truckee, and in winter, you can get there by skis or snowmobiles.
The rentable space is 14-by-14 and costs $45 per night.
end quote from:https://www.sfgate.com/outdoors/article/northern-california-fire-lookouts-rent-camping-12442270.php
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