Had a great time! The the area is mostly fire damaged trees, but great views into the valley and a nice hike right from the lookout area. The drive up is never-ending though. Rock punctured a tire on the way down. Just a heads up to be prepared when out and about.

The 14 mile road is totally fine if you have good tires. Took about an hour to do. Lookout is so cute, really cozy for two people. Cell service (AT&T) is great up there. There was plenty of firewood uptop. And do the little hike to grave peak. It was beautiful!

The watchtower itself was wonderful. Beautiful views, a full sized bed, a wood stove we didn't need to use, and others had left some camp chairs and cleaning supplies. The vault toilet was a little walk away, but it was a beautiful walk and it was clean. The 14 miles of gravel and shale-covered roads were slow and a bit intimidating amd took about 75 minutes to drive. High clearance is helpful, but maybe not necessary. Good tires are a must. The elevation was glorious, and although it was a 95+ degree day in Thompson Falls, it was about 80 at the watchtower. A great experience!