As a destination for hikers, summits are understandable at an instinctual level. Grand vistas, an imitable top of the world feeling, and a sense of accomplishment that can last for an afternoon or a lifetime are so appealing that it is often hard to resist the allure of bagging a peak. Whether on maintained trails, cross-country bootpaths, or technical rock climbing routes, there are ways to reach the tops of thousands of peaks on our public lands. While the memories of topping out on a remote highpoint have a long shelf life, the actual amount of time spent on summits is often frustratingly brief.

Between the need to leave plenty of time to descend, unpredictable weather, and the often cramped and craggy conditions on most mountaintops, most summit visits are measured in minutes or hours. Although some might lend themselves to a reasonably comfortable bivy or even a halfway decent campsite, limited water (aside from melting snow) and gusty winds / storms typically make peaks less than ideal for camping.

Backpacking to Fire Lookouts

For those who find their stays on summits to almost always be excruciatingly short, there is perhaps no better way to enjoy an extended stay than to stay in a lookout tower. After catastrophic forest fires in Montana, Idaho, and Washington in 1910 – which burnt over three million acres – over 5,000 lookout towers were built across the United States to spot forest fires and aid in fire suppression efforts. From Alabama to Alaska, lookouts of various shapes, sizes and heights were built.

In the heavily treed Southeast, many lookouts were built atop towers to provide those who staffed them with the distant views needed to spot the wisps of smoke that indicated a fire. Above treeline in the West, many lookouts needed little, if any, additional elevation to allow for sweeping panoramas of the landscape. Some early lookouts were simple cabin-type structures atop a high point on a gentle ridge, while others had cupolas or other functional architectural flourishes and were erected on craggy promontories. Over 600 were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s. Some lookouts had incredibly brief periods of service, such as the one atop Mt. Adams in Washington (elevation 12,276 feet) that was only in service for three years in the early 1920s. Others, especially those in Montana and Idaho, have seen decades of continuous staffing.

As technology for spotting forest fires advanced, the vast majority of lookouts became inactive. Unfortunately, many of them were burned or were otherwise dismantled as they were viewed as obsolete by the land management agencies that were responsible for them. Most of those that remained were either staffed as usual or mothballed and closed to the public until they might be put back into service. Some lookouts were refurbished and became available to reserve and rent, allowing the public to get a chance at spending time comfortably ensconced from the elements in rugged and remote places with breathtaking views.

Booking these lookouts is a fairly straightforward process and most open up for reservations approximately six months in advance of the date you wish to stay. For popular lookouts (and all lookouts seem to have become increasingly popular in recent years), which typically are the ones with the easiest trails to them, you will want to book as soon as possible to make sure you get a reservation. Some rental lookouts are only open for a few months each summer, while others have dates available in the winter as well allowing for people to cross-country ski or snowshoe to them. Similar to U.S. Forest Service rental cabins, most lookouts come stocked with a two-burner stove (bring your own propane), cots or mattresses, limited cookware, tables and chairs, and often a wood or propane stove for heat. All come with magnificent views and some of the most gorgeous sunsets and sunrises you will ever see.

Other lookouts were left unstaffed and open to the public to visit. Formal and informal efforts by volunteers have kept many of them in suitable conditions for use over the years, but given their exposure to severe mountain weather maintenance is an ongoing struggle. Being able to spend time in these lookouts is a rare treat. No reservations are needed, no locks to open, no fees to be paid – just a desire to visit and an ethic of leaving the place in better shape than you found it are required. Most of these lookouts require fairly lengthy, or short and steep, hikes to reach them. Water can usually be procured from springs nearby, but the trails that lead to them have faded over the years since the lookouts were staffed and can take some route-finding skills to locate. For those lookouts that are accessible year-round, being able to melt snow in winter is the easiest way to get the water needed for cooking and hydrating. Few things are more enjoyable than spending a winter’s night in a lookout with snow covering the mountains, a wood stove radiating heat, and stars spread across the sky.

Lookouts lend themselves to bringing heavier and tastier foods and beverages to consume while gazing out over the landscape and enjoying your cozy abode. Eating a breakfast of scrambled eggs, pancakes and French press coffee and watching the sunrise from inside a lookout is a great way to start the day. Many lookouts have nearby attractions to check out as well – such as lakes or peaks – and they serve as an ideal basecamp. Regardless of what happens with the weather, you’re assured a dry place to return to at the end of the day and an incredible view.

Diving into a tent during a thunderstorm, snow shower, or steady rain provides a sense of sanctuary when backpacking, but stepping into a lookout in similar conditions adds an unparalleled sense of luxury to the backcountry. Watching raindrops hit the windowpanes while winds howl outside and clouds swirl over nearby peaks is an almost surreal experience. Without a lookout, it would be virtually impossible to enjoy the experience with any degree of comfort. With a lookout, you can simply sip tea, read a book and look up occasionally to note the progress of the storm and the changing of light as the day moves along. There truly is perhaps no better way to enjoy a summit or high point than from a lookout, as it allows you to prolong your stay for as long as you’d like (or as long as your food will last).

Most of the lookouts that remain, in the rental system or otherwise, are located in the West, with the greater Pacific Northwest (including Idaho and Montana) having a particularly high concentration. There are some lookouts in the East as well, with Mount Cammerrer Lookout in Great Smoky Mountains National Park being an especially excellent lookout. Although not open to overnight stays, the lookout is a great place to take a lunch break. The Mount Sterling firetower at Campsite 38 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park doesn’t have the sleeping quarters and spacious design of Western lookouts, but the view is terrific and the ability to camp at its base and head up for a sunrise makes it worth putting on the itinerary for a backpacking trip. Lookouts and observation towers are also found with some frequency in the Northeast and guidebooks provide details on visiting them.

Most backpackers go outdoors to experience the natural landscape and tend to shy away from man-made structures – developed campgrounds, paved trails, and lodges. I certainly identify with that approach and it’s the one I take most frequently when planning my trips. That said, I think that every backpacker should spend at least one night in a lookout at some point to be able to enjoy the immersion of a high point hermitage. It’s a reservation I can guarantee you won’t regret making.

Fire Lookout Information

The Forest Fire Lookout Association is a great resource for information about lookouts. Links to news pieces, databases of lookouts, and information about lookout-related events can all be found here. The links to locations of historic lookout sites is particularly interesting – you could've hiked right by a lookout site and not even known it! The National Historic Lookout Register documents historic lookouts in the United States. Lookouts on this register, which a collaborative effort between the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Fire Lookout Association, and other groups, often end up nominated for the National Register of Historic Places.

The increased recognition garnered by being on this list can also help with preservation efforts. The U.S. Forest Service has information about the history of lookouts and the rental system here. This webpage is a great overview of the establishment of the lookout system, the tools used by lookouts, and the transition away from lookouts to other fire detection methods. Between the history, nostalgia, and the time that many individuals spent staffing lookouts many books have been written on the subject. For those in the East, the Falcon Guide Hiking Fire Lookouts New England is one option, or for those in the far Northwest see Hiking Washington's Fire Lookouts. You can also find a list of many fire lookout related books here at Amazon.com.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 44 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.