Idaho / Idaho County / Gospel-Hump Wilderness / Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests

Lookout Butte Lookout

Closed — Closed indefinitely due to structural deficiencies discovered in the tower. The tower and surrounding area are closed to the public until repairs can be completed.

About

Lookout Butte Lookout is a historic fire lookout tower that has served the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests for nearly 80 years. The first lookout, a 45-foot pole tower, was built in 1923 with a cabin added in 1925. A 50-foot tower replaced it in 1935, and the current 60-foot wooden tower was constructed in 1962 and used for fire detection until the mid-1980s. Perched at 5,869 feet elevation, the lookout offers spectacular panoramic views of the Selway Crags in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness area, the Seven Devils Mountain Range, Coolwater Ridge, Pilot Knob Lookout, and the Lochsa and Selway River drainages. The single-room cabin accommodates up to four guests with two twin beds with foam mattresses and two cots. Amenities include a propane stove and oven, table and chairs, and basic cleaning supplies. An exterior catwalk surrounds the cabin, providing 360-degree views of the surrounding wilderness. The lookout is accessed via primitive forest roads requiring high ground clearance for the final half mile. A pit toilet sits downhill from the tower, and a campfire ring is located near the base. Guests must haul all supplies up five flights of stairs and bring their own drinking water. The area offers opportunities for mountain biking, off-road vehicle use, hiking through second-growth forest, and birding. The nearby Selway River, a designated Wild and Scenic River, provides additional scenic opportunities including Selway Falls.

Directions

Travel to Lowell, Idaho, located approximately midway between Lewiston, Idaho and Missoula, Montana on Highway 12, milepost 97. Cross the Selway Bridge, drive 3.5 miles and cross the Swiftwater Bridge on your right. Follow the signs 13 miles for about 1 hour to the lookout. Alternative route: From Highway 12, cross the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River at the bridge above Kooskia (MP 74), turn left onto paved County Road 1842 towards the Kooskia National Fish Hatchery. Pass the fish hatchery approximately 3.5 miles, stay left on County Route 286 for approximately 5 miles when it converts to Forest Road 286. Follow Forest Road 286 for an additional 8 miles to the junction with Forest Road 1129 and turn left. Travel approximately 1.3 miles and the spur road to Lookout Butte Lookout is signed on the right. The last segment is a rough, outsloped, native surface road requiring high clearance.

Nearby Campgrounds