Granite Butte Lookout

Lookout views are great. Taking the covers off/on the window is a bit of a pain but worth it. Wouldn’t rely on the cots, they are not sturdy & not comfortable, otherwise there’s one hard mattress with a soft cover. There’s no gate coming up to the lookout like the others I have stayed at - so it’s VERY busy, we had over a dozen people arrive before dinner on the full day we stayed between people watching sunrise, hikers, campers staying up there for the night & people just coming to check the views on their dirt bikes. Some people chatted in great length with us & some just snapped a pic & left - if you’re wanting to entertain passersby at the lookout this is the place to be. The lookout is very stocked with cooking supplies, camp stove, extra backpacking pads, utensils, camp chairs, games, extra food/drinks/water, & plenty of wood for the wood stove - which was very toasty for the chilly night.

Incredible experience! Spent 1 night. Stunning 360 views. Deer family came by to graze. Shout out to whoever left hiker meals, beer, and pop-tarts. The weather changed fast - we arrived during a bit of lightning and fast winds. In 30 minutes it was peaceful and sunny just in time for sunset. Accommodations were as described and perfect. I highly recommend removing all the shutters - just know that getting them back is a bit tricky (they don't all fit in every window). Had 1 CDT hiker and 3 adventure bikers top the hill to enjoy the view and say hi, but left us alone. You won't regret it.

The fire tower upon arrival was clean,organized and well maintained.
We were very excited to try this experience
After unloading and hauling up all of our gear up the (What could only be described as The El Capitan stairs) we figured out very quickly THE WIND BLOWS!!! Nonstop!! It varied speed between a cat 5 hurricane and the twister that launched Dorothy down the yellow brick road!!
Gusts in excess of 75 mph shaking the structure with such intensity that it made the guy wire cables(The only thing keeping this from landing in Billings) Sing like a rope over your head.
We ate dinner and witnessed one of the most spectacular sunsets ever!!
Then settled in for the night!!
About an hour and a half later and unable to hear each other while lying in bed together we made the decision to decend El Capitan stairs in the pitch black with two dogs. Driving home after witnessing full water bottles shaking violently on the table and hearing what sounded like structural failure !!
Be warned
The Wind no 😂 ng matter!!!
Everything else was really great though

Beautiful! Great huck picking along road. Expect visitors!

Incredible opportunity, with some of the best imaginable views possible. We loved it and would stay at another one in a heartbeat. I understand some of the people who stayed before us absolutely left the place a mess, which is a shame, much thanks to the people who stayed right before us and spent a lot of time cleaning up the place and making it look wonderful. Please everyone who stays there, take care of this treasure of a place!

If you’re looking for solitude and quiet this may not be the place for you. The lookout itself is fine. What I think would be helpful is an option of a sign to attach to the gate at the bottom of the stairs indicating that the lookout is rented and that privacy should be respected. If you want to visit with all the sightseers coming up you could leave the sign down. We felt like animals in a zoo at times. (You could make and bring your own).
Also, I highly recommend bringing earplugs. The wind blows so hard at times that you can’t sleep due to the creaking, squeaking, grinding, tapping, and various noises the building makes.
The views are great though. And the lookout is well stocked. That last mile and a half is pretty rough.

I was very pleased with my stay at Granite Butte Lookout. Site conditions were harsh due to strong winds throughout my visit, but this was clearly explained during the booking process so there were no surprises.

I parked at Stemple Pass and hiked up Marsh Creek Road. The road is very steep and exposed in places. Trail access from Stemple Pass was challenging because of blowdown, but the obstruction was not far from the trailhead and it was easy to divert to the road and continue to the lookout.

The summit offers breathtaking 360-degree views with spectacular sunrise and sunset scenery. The lookout itself is a unique place to spend the night and provides an unforgettable mountain-top experience.

Overall, a memorable and rewarding stay with incredible views.

This was a super cool experience ! The drive up via temple pass road isn’t too bad, and the view from the lookout is beautiful. The wind was definitely very intense, probably close to 60 mph the day we got there and through the night. The sunrise view from here was incredible!
The lookout is pretty well stocked with wood, lanterns, and other items. The only issue was that both of the cots aren’t very usable, (one is broken and the other is on the verge of breaking and the fabric has become very thin), it would be really nice if those could be replaced. I would recommend bringing a fuel canister to use the cooking stove, and some kindling to make it easier to start the fire in the wood stove. Overall, I would recommend granite butte lookout but be prepared for the wind!

The views were amazing! And all the entries in the log books were right, the wind never stops. We unfortunately were in a high wind warning and the winds were too much and we ended up leaving early. Obviously there is nothing you can do about weather! I did clean up the lookout, people are messy. We played cards, would you rather and watched the weather roll by. It was a great experience and can’t wait to do it again!

We parked at Stemple Pass trailhead and snowshoed up. The views were amazing. The wind was no joke, but inside the cabin it was nice and cozy.

We did not bring our dog but I’m glad we didn’t because there is no way she would have been able to maneuver the last flight of stairs. They were way too steep (more like a ladder where you need both hands on the rails going up and down).