Lookout rental · U.S. Forest Service · Malheur National Forest · John Day, OR

Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin

Fall Mountain Lookout Tower is situated about 20 miles from John Day, in central Oregon. It provides 360-degree views of the surrounding Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, as well as the towns of Seneca and Mt. Vernon. The lookout offers access to a variety of recreational activities. In addition to sightseeing, visitors to the area enjoy hunting, hiking and viewing wildlife. The lookout can accommodate just two people and provides few amenities. It can be accessed by vehicle. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring many of their own supplies.

Lookout rentalReservable · Recreation.gov1 site
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
FALL MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT CABINFALL MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT CABINFALL MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT CABINFALL MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT CABIN
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov
3fires
active
Damon 2A Rx (prescribed burn) · 5 mi away · 85 acres
2 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Cabins with electric1
This lookout is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteSurfacePeople / vehicles
01Gravel2 / 2

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 4:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

The one-room, 14-by-14 cabin sits atop an 18-foot tower and sleeps two. The cabin is furnished with a futon bed and a table and chairs. It has electricity and in the kitchen area, an electric stove and refrigerator. The kitchen also contains pots, pans, dishes and tableware. A catwalk encircles the structure, allowing for unobstructed views of the surrounding area. A vault toilet is located near the base of the tower. There is no water available on site. Guests must bring their own water for drinking, cooking and washing, as well as sleeping bags/bedding, a flashlight or lantern for emergencies, first aid kit, towels, garbage bags, toilet paper and dish soap.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.09 inches of precipitation, 3.5 inches of snowFebruary: 0.60 inches of precipitation, 1.4 inches of snowMarch: 1.14 inches of precipitation, 1.2 inches of snowApril: 1.49 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowMay: 1.83 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 1.30 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.43 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.50 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.52 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.04 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowNovember: 1.19 inches of precipitation, 1.0 inches of snowDecember: 1.14 inches of precipitation, 2.0 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.8°F averageFebruary: 33.7°F averageMarch: 38.9°F averageApril: 43.8°F averageMay: 51.8°F averageJune: 58.6°F averageJuly: 67.0°F averageAugust: 65.9°F averageSeptember: 57.9°F averageOctober: 46.7°F averageNovember: 36.6°F averageDecember: 29.9°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at John Day, 10 miles from the campground at 3,063 feet, station USC00354291 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 12 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 10 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

[ CAUTION! Google maps may direct you to Luce Creek Road/County Road 76. This road does not provide access to Fall Mountain Lookout - it becomes a private road with an impassible, locked gate.] From John Day, travel approximately 15.5 miles south on Highway 395. Turn right onto Forest Service Road 4920.

Nearest townJohn Day, Oregon
Coordinates44.2937° N, 119.0427° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Damon 2A Rx

    5 mi from the campground · 85 acres

  • Prescribed
    Jane 102 Rx

    23 mi from the campground · 3,000 acres

  • Prescribed
    Greenwood Rx

    26 mi from the campground · 38 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗8.8 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

The nearby Strawberry Mountain Wilderness area includes approximately 69,350 acres of land, including mountain peaks and several lakes, as well as the headwaters of Pine, Indian, Strawberry, Canyon, Bear, Lake, Wall, Roberts and Big Creek streams. A variety of wildlife, including elk, mule deer, antelope, black bear, cougar, bighorn sheep, ruffed and blue grouse, pileated woodpecker, sharp-shinned hawk, bald eagle, pine marten, mink and beaver. A varieties of bird and fish can be seen in the area.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Malheur National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The tower was built in 1933 and sits at an elevation of 5,949 feet. Before satellite surveillance systems, lookout personnel monitored the forest from this 18-foot perch for signs of smoke, alerting fire guards when necessary. Today guests can watch the sun rise and set, spot wildlife from the catwalk and witness dramatic thunderstorms that traverse the territory during summer months.

Recreation

Recreational options include wildlife viewing, huckleberry picking, star gazing and hiking the area around the lookout. There is a multiple-use trailhead south of the tower, at Starr Springs. Designated hiking trails into the wilderness are located 30 minutes from the lookout tower by vehicle.

Guidebooks for Oregon

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin?

Sites at Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin?

Check-in 4:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin have?

1 site, including 1 cabin with power.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin?

Recreational options include wildlife viewing, huckleberry picking, star gazing and hiking the area around the lookout. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin?

John Day, Oregon. The nearby Strawberry Mountain Wilderness area includes approximately 69,350 acres of land, including mountain peaks and several lakes, as well as the headwaters of Pine, Indian, Strawberry, Canyon, Bear, Lake, Wall, Roberts and Big Creek streams.

Source: Getting there

What if Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Starr Campground (2.7 mi), Wickiup Campground (10.8 mi), and Oregon Mine Campground (12.6 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby