Established Camping
Bald Butte Lookout
Warning 2 Alerts are In Effect
There are 2 alerts for this campground. Camp safely!
Warning 2 Alerts are In Effect
There are 2 alerts for this campground. Camp safely!
The rental is in need of some repair, but is still functional. Repairs will be ongoing throughout the summer. The Forest Service will try and schedule repairs when the cabin is not occupied, but please consider this when renting Bald Butte
A location closure has been issued, and the facility is closed at this time. Reservation-holders will receive an email with additional information. Please check back for location closure updates.
Bald Butte Lookout in the Fremont-Winema National Forest features a landscape of forested areas and open buttes. Temperatures in the area range from highs in the 80s during summer to lows in the 20s in winter. Nearby attractions include the Summer Lake Hot Springs and the Paisley Caves, offering opportunities for exploration and relaxation.
Description
US Forest Service
Fremont National Forest
Overview
Bald Butte Lookout is perched atop the windy summit of Bald Butte in the Fremont-Winema National Forest in south-central Oregon. It is surrounded by forested hillsides and expansive views. The lookout was built in 1931 and served as a Forest Service fire detection site for over 50 years. It was constructed from an Aladdin L4 ground-mounted lookout kit in which 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. At one time, hundreds of these types of lookouts were in service throughout the Pacific Northwest. Today only two such structures remain in Oregon, providing a unique lodging experience for guests seeking recreation and relaxation. The lookout offers basic amenities, though for guests to enjoy their experience completely, they must bring several of their own supplies.
Recreation
Hiking, birding, stargazing and wildlife viewing are popular activities. Bald Butte Trail is a quiet all-season trail that offers a variety of terrain and wildlife viewing opportunities. Hikers traverse large open meadows filled with summer wildflowers, heavily wooded forests and ridgetop scrambles along Oak Ridge Trail and Surveyor's Ridge Trail, overlooking the Hood River Valley. Trails in the Gearhart Mountain Wilderness are also nearby. At night the lookout provides an ideal setting for stargazing, as constellations and planets put on a dazzling display.
Facilities
The 14' x 14' lookout is furnished with two cots, a table, bench and storage cabinets. It is also equipped with a propane heater, cook stove, and lights. An outdoor picnic table and an accessible vault toilet are also on-site. There is no water on-site, so guests must bring sufficient supplies for drinking, cooking and washing. Guests must also provide their own sleeping bags, linens, towels, dish soap, matches, cooking gear, first aid kit, toilet paper, ice cooler and garbage bags. Although lighting is available, it is recommended that guests bring an additional light source in case of emergencies.
Natural Features
Fremont National Forest is known for its towering snow-capped peaks, volcanic landscapes, wide-open sage basins, scenic vistas and wild places where visitors can still find solitude. Nearby Gearhart Wilderness offers 22,823 acres of scenic views and primitive recreational opportunities. Throughout the remote area, streams rush through narrow meadows and Blue Lake lies nestled beneath a canopy of mixed-conifer forests. Rock formations cap most of the high elevation ridge tops.
Location
Bald Butte Lookout is located in Oregon
Directions
From the Paisley District Office, travel 0.5 miles north on Highway 31 and turn left on Mill Street. Stay on Mill Street to the Y junction (turns into gravel at this point) , then turn right on Forest Road 3315. Continue on Forest Road 3315 for 21 miles. Turn left on Forest Road 28, and travel 0.5 miles to the junction with Forest Road 3411. Turn right on Forest Road 3411 and travel 2 miles to Forest Road 450 (450 is not marked, there is a sign that says Bald Butte with an arrow). Turn right on Forest Road 450; this leads to the top of Bald Butte. The last 2 miles of road on Forest Road 450 to Bald Butte Lookout are minimally passable for low clearance or highway vehicles. The road is steep, rough and may have large rocks that should be moved. Large RVs are not recommended on this road.
Address
303 HWY 31
Paisley, OR 97636
Coordinates
42.6144 N
120.7898 W
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Stay Connected
- WiFiAvailable
- VerizonAvailable
- AT&TAvailable
- T-MobileAvailable
Site Types
- Cabins
Features
For Campers
- Picnic Table
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
Drive Time
- 2 hrs 49 min from Bend
- 3 hrs 16 min from Medford
- 3 hrs 41 min from Grants Pass
- 4 hrs 22 min from Eugene