Snow Camp Lookout
Snow Camp Lookout sits at the peak of Snow Camp Mountain at an elevation of 4,223 feet, offering guests spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding area. The fire lookout is the most recent of three structures built atop Snow Camp Mountain. The structures onsite were used as fire lookouts and an Aircraft Warning System station during World War II. The original cabin was destroyed in the 2002 Biscuit Fire, a massive blaze that burned more than a half-million acres in Oregon and California, but was reconstructed just two years later. Today the lookout offers a unique lodging experience for guests seeking a bit of solitude and relaxation.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Surface | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Gravel | 4 / – |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
The renovated fire lookout is a 15' x 15' structure, originally designed for one or two people. It is furnished with a double bed with a mattress, a table and chairs, cabinets and counter space for food preparation. It is also equipped with a wood-burning cook stove and a picnic table for outdoor dining. A pit toilet is located near the lookout. There is no water on site, so visitors must bring sufficient supplies for drinking, cooking and washing. Guests must also provide their own sleeping bags, sleeping pads, towels, dish soap, matches, cooking gear, toilet paper and garbage bags. Although visitors can drive within sight of the lookout, the 200-yard hike to the summit can be strenuous when carrying gear. The final 200 yards to the lookout are open to administrative traffic only.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Access from Brookings: From US 101 turn onto the North Bank Chetco River Road (County Road 784). In approximately 8 miles this becomes Forest Service Road #1376. Follow this road for approximately 25 miles to Forest Service Road #590 which has a yellow gate. The lookout i 1/2 mile ahead on this road.
| Nearest town | Gold Beach, Oregon |
| Coordinates | 42.3440° N, 124.1650° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Rogue Outdoor Store ↗ | 13.9 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 20.4 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 1.5 miSnow Camp Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 10.8 miLower Rogue River West Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 11.2 miQuosatana Boat Ramp ↗Boat launch
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miSnow Camp Lookout0.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.7 miPanther Lake1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.2 miWindy Valley0.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.6 miSnow Camp ↗5.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trailheads within three miles
- 1.5 miFairview Meadow Trailhead ↗Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
- 1.5 miSnow Camp Trailhead ↗Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
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
This campground sits inside Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests.
- inRogue River-Siskiyou National Forests ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,852,705 acres
- 2.8 miKalmiopsis Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 180,103 acres
- 13.5 miOregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge ↗National Wildlife Refuge · Fish and Wildlife Service · 377 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Gold Beach Ranger StationBuilding · Gold Beach · 13.6 mi
- Rogue River Bridge No. 01172Structure · Gold Beach · 13.9 mi
- Hume, Mary D.Structure · Gold Beach · 14 mi
Natural features
On a clear day, guests at Snow Camp Lookout will see ocean waves crashing along Kellogg Beach, Point St. George and Castle Rock near Crescent City, California. Effects of the 2002 Biscuit Fire and the 2017 Chetco Bar Fire are obvious within the surroundings, though forested mountains and grassy hillsides dotted with pine trees extend from the lookout as well.
Recreation
Hiking, mountain biking, stargazing, and wildlife viewing are popular among guests to this lookout. An important component of the historic fabric of the watershed is the trail system. Hikers may want to wander trails that originally followed older aboriginal routes. "Chief" Elwin Frye, a packer for the Forest Service, identified a portion of the Snow Camp Trail as an Indian travel route. The trail is one of the oldest in the Forest, and provides access to Windy Valley, a pristine mountain meadow with a small crystal clear creek. At night the lookout is an ideal setting for stargazing, as constellations and planets put on a dazzling display.
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 Snow Camp Lookout?
Sites at Snow Camp Lookout are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Snow Camp Lookout?
Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Snow Camp Lookout have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is there cell service at Snow Camp Lookout?
FCC coverage maps show T-Mobile 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is there to do at Snow Camp Lookout?
Hiking, mountain biking, stargazing, and wildlife viewing are popular among guests to this lookout. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Snow Camp Lookout?
Gold Beach, Oregon.
Source: Getting there
What if Snow Camp Lookout is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are South Fork (11 mi), Quosatana Campground (11 mi), and Lobster Creek Campground (12.8 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby