Burton Fire Lookout

Open — The lookout cabin is not staffed or maintained and is not available for overnight rental. It remains accessible year-round via hiking trail, though winter conditions may make access difficult.

About

Burton Peak Lookout, built in 1933, is a 14×14 log frame cabin that served as an active fire lookout until it was abandoned in 1967. Located in the Selkirk Mountains of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests near Bonners Ferry, the lookout cabin still stands today and remains a popular hiking destination. The structure retains original features including fold-up cots and two built-in desks, though the interior walls are covered with visitor graffiti accumulated over decades. While the cabin appears weathered, it has proven to be surprisingly sturdy and well-built, continuing to withstand harsh mountain winters. The site offers spectacular 360-degree views of the surrounding Selkirk Mountains when weather permits, though fog and clouds can create a moody, closed-in atmosphere that lookouts would have experienced during their watches. The original outhouse has collapsed, and various historical debris can be found in the area, including two USGS markers. The lookout is accessed via Burton Ridge Trail and sits within an area that borders the Myrtle Creek Game Preserve. This is not a maintained rental facility and visitors should be prepared for primitive conditions. The last half mile of the trail to reach the lookout is steep, and the area is bear country.

Directions

Travel south on US 95 from Bonners Ferry Ranger District Office. Turn left onto Main Street just before the bridge, then take an immediate right on Riverside Road. Continue for 5 miles, angle right onto Westside Road, and follow it north for 1.5 miles. Turn left on Myrtle Creek Road #633 and follow for 1.5 miles. Turn right on Road #2411, proceed to the junction with Road #2692, and turn right. The trailhead will be at the end of the road.

Nearby Campgrounds