I discovered my first fire lookout tower when I was on a road trip the summer after I graduated high school. My best friend and I were driving around on forest service roads outside Hamilton Montana, looking for a place to spend the night camping in my van, when we arrived at the summit of a mountain and discovered what seemed to us like a magical cabin on top of the world. I had heard of fire lookout towers before in some of the writings of Gary Snyder and Jack Kerouac, but had never really beheld one in all its glory. This lookout was currently vacant, but locked, so we camped out next to it that night and watched the sunset from the balcony. I vowed after that night that I would one day spend some time staying in a lookout. I would hire on with the Forest Service, or do whatever it took, but I was going to rest my head in a bed high above a mountain top before I could call my life complete.
I can’t even begin to describe how excited I was the day I discovered the book, How to Rent a Fire Lookout Tower in the Pacific Northwest, by Tim McFadden and Tom Foley. I took it home and poured through the pages, delighted to find that my lofty dream was easily attainable. With the advance of technology in wildland fire management, many lookout towers had been de-commissioned over the years, and were now available for overnight rental at a rate far more economical than a hotel room. By this time my children were old enough to be safe with heights, so I got on the website for Recreation Rentals of the Pacific Northwest: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/recreation/rentals/, and booked a weekend in September at Bald Knob Lookout in the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest.
We set off on our adventure following the Coquille River through the mountains to the small town of Powers, and headed up the winding gravel roads to the top of Bald Knob, passing through the locked gate with the combination given to us at the Powers Ranger Station, and coming around the bend to behold the very impressive 16 X 16′ cabin sitting 20 feet up in the air. We wasted no time climbing up the three flights of steep stairs to the catwalk, and just stood there taking in the view. From there, we looked out at the Rogue River winding through a roadless wilderness area below, and the rolling blue silhouettes of mountain peaks as far as the eye could see. The Autumn air was warm, gentle breezes carried the smell of dry fir needles, and it was so still and quiet you could almost hear your own heartbeat interrupted only by the occasional cry of a far-off hawk.
The cabin was cozy and well-maintained with a small kitchen area including a propane stove for cooking and heat, and a small propane mini-fridge. The sink was plumbed to drain below, but water had to be hauled in and brought up. We were no strangers to dry camping, so this wasn’t any sort of a big deal. There was a small bed and fold-out futon, a table and an Osborne Fire Finder in the center with a map and instruments to identify mountain peaks and their distances. The walls were entirely made of windows all the way around, providing a complete view of the surrounding coastal mountain range. It was the stuff mountain dreams are made of.
We spent a lot of time that weekend just sitting on the catwalk looking at the view below, reading in the warm sunshine, trying our hand at the Osborne Fire Finder, and enjoying the sunsets. I have to say that there is no sunset watching experience quite you’ll find in a fire lookout tower. It’s so spectacular, that it tends to make subsequent sunsets pale in comparison. We spent the 4th of July weekend at the same lookout the following year with the idea that we would observe all the small town fireworks displays for miles, but realized quickly just how remote a spot it was, and settled instead for beautiful sunsets which rivaled any fireworks display I’ve seen.
More fire lookout adventures followed over the years, including Indian Ridge in the Willamette National Forest a ways above Cougar Reservoir, Green Ridge Lookout Tower in the Deschutes National Forest outside of Sisters (this one was the least tall and most kid-friendly, sitting above the Metolius River Valley and looking straight out and Mt. Jefferson and the surrounding peaks), and Quail Prairie Lookout in the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest looking out at the Kalmiopsis Wilderness (this one topped them all at 52 feet, and makes a good adult getaway – no children under 12 allowed.) I highly recommend all of these, and some, like Green Ridge are so popular that you should think about making reservations 6 months out to ensure finding an open weekend. The dead of Winter is a really good time to start dreaming and scheming such Summertime plans anyway.
Staying in these lookouts is very much like camping in that you bring your bedding, cooking supplies and food, water, firewood, etc. But you can leave the tent behind and get nice and toasty with the propane stove if the night gets chilly. Most of the lookouts have a campfire ring and picnic table below, making it very much a camping experience with a little extra luxury. And breathtaking views if you’re okay with heights.
I’ll end with this photo of a sunrise over a low-lying cloud bank at Quail Prairie Lookout, from 52 feet up in the air. It’s quite the feeling to sit and look out at the tops of clouds, rather like sitting on top of the world.
I have a similar desire…also fueled by Mr. Kerouc. I have my heart set on his old post – Desolation Peak (although, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that's open to rent?)…not that I could make it up there anyway (so out of shape). Happy to find a kindred spirit here. Happy lookouts to you!
Desolation Peak is in Northern Washington, and it isn't mentioned on the rental website, but I wonder if you could find out some info on it with a little research. The Forest Service still has some lookout towers staffed during fire season too, so it never hurts to ask the local Ranger district. Keep those lookout tower dreams alive!
Wow. What wonderful places to stay. Breathtaking!x