by Cheryl Hill
Fire lookouts are all over social media these days, largely due to the popularity of renting them (Oregon has 18 that you can rent). These ground cabins and towers have been used for over a century in the service of spotting and reporting wildfires. While some 900+ sites have hosted a lookout in Oregon since the late 1800s, today there are only about 155 still standing. Some of these are still staffed, some are rented, and some are abandoned.
Fire lookouts make for great hiking destinations due to their high vantage point and terrific views. Here are four fire lookouts you can hike to this summer.
Coffin Mountain
3 miles, 1,000 feet elevation gain
Talk about a lot of bang for your buck! This short hike south of Detroit has views, a lookout, and a plethora of June wildflowers. The hike is a steady uphill climb through forests and meadows where you may see larkspur, paintbrush, and blue head gilia blooming in late June and early July. The trail traverses an enormous south-facing slope where beargrass bloom every few years and where you get a big preview of the views to come. The lookout is a ground cabin that is staffed in summer and is closed to the public. But the summit has room to spread out and soak in the views, including Mt. Jefferson peeking up behind nearby Bachelor Mountain.
Pechuck Lookout
5.6 miles, 1670 feet elevation gain
Hike through the Table Rock Wilderness to Oregon’s only lookout built of stone, which just barely escaped the flames of the 2020 Beachie Creek Fire. The trail passes through areas of burnt forest from that fire, and scorched trees on the slopes below the lookout show how close the fire came. This charming lookout with its cute rooftop cupola has not been staffed since the 1960s and is available to stay in on a first-come first-serve basis. There’s even a composting toilet down the hill. Views are somewhat limited as the trees have grown up over the years, but from the cupola you can see nearby Table Rock.
Black Butte
4.2 miles, 1,500 feet elevation gain
One of only a few spots in Oregon that hosts two standing lookouts, Black Butte has been home to a variety of lookouts since 1910. The two-mile hike to the summit is popular for good reason. The views are spectacular and encompass numerous Cascade volcanos and lesser buttes and peaks. Signs ask visitors not to approach the 65-foot-tall tower, which is staffed in summer. But you can check out the exterior of the 1922 lookout cabin, restored by volunteers in 2019. Nearby a viewing deck has signs to help you identify the major peaks visible from here. There is plenty of room to spread out and enjoy a picnic, although beware the cute golden-mantled ground squirrels that have become habituated to human handouts.
Flag Point
8.8 miles, 1740 feet elevation gain
The tower at Flag Point is one of three staffed lookouts in the Mt. Hood National Forest (along with Clear Lake Butte and Sisi Butte). The hike takes you through the Badger Creek Wilderness and passes tiny Oval Lake, as well as Palisade Point with its sweeping views. Once you arrive at Flag Point you may find that the lookout on duty is busy working and you’re not able to go up the tower. But here’s a tip: look for an unsigned trail to the left of the toilet heading southwest and follow it for 0.2 miles until you reach a large open sagebrush-covered area with terrific views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, and the Three Sisters. By the way, this is a fantastic hike in the second half of October when the western larch trees turn golden orange.
—TKO Volunteer Cheryl Hill has visited more than 100 of Oregon’s standing lookouts. She is the author of Mount Hood National Forest and Fire Lookouts of Oregon. Her next book, Hiking Oregon’s Fire Lookouts, will be published by Mountaineers Books in spring 2026.