Little Cowhorn Lookout

About

Little Cowhorn Mountain Lookout is a historic fire lookout in the Willamette National Forest, not a campground. Built in 1960 with a flat-roof cab design, the unmanned lookout sits at 4,243 feet elevation and has been maintained by volunteers over the years. It serves as a day-use hiking destination only. The 1-mile moderate trail to the lookout rises through varied terrain including deep timber, rocky outcroppings with dramatic towering faces, exposed flowering rocky slopes, and a grassy mountaintop area. The final approach requires caution as it traverses a rock face with a cable handrail. Views of the Cascade Crest are distant but excellent vistas of the western edge of the forest and major watersheds like Fall Creek await. Access requires a high-clearance vehicle. From Highway 58, turn at Lowell covered bridge, proceed through town to Big Fall Creek Road, then turn left onto Forest Road 1830 at milepost 18.5. Continue approximately 10 miles until turning right past a gate onto spur 388, which ends at a small parking area where the trail begins.

Directions

From Highway 58, turn north at mile marker 13 at the Lowell covered bridge. Continue through the four-way intersection in Lowell, turn left, then take the next right onto Moss Street. At the next four-way intersection, turn right onto Big Fall Creek Road. At approximately milepost 18.5, turn left onto Forest Road 1830 (high-clearance vehicle recommended). Continue on Road 1830 for approximately 8 miles until it becomes Road 1817, then drive approximately 2 more miles and turn right past the gate at spur 388. The steep road ends at a small parking area where the 0.5-mile ascending trail begins.