About Bolan Mountain Lookout
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Cabin Outdoor Features
- Deck or Patio
Views and Setting
- View
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C01, Loop: AREA BOLAN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
- 4 guests
Site Details
Reviews (17)
What Guests Are Saying
Bolan Mountain Lookout offers stunning views and an exceptional, modernized lookout experience, complete with cozy facilities, LED lighting, and USB charging ports. Visitors appreciate the beautiful nearby lake and trails for day-long entertainment. While the access road has some rough patches, the overall experience, especially under the starry sky, is highly praised.
What Guests Are Saying
Bolan Mountain Lookout offers stunning views and an exceptional, modernized lookout experience, complete with cozy facilities, LED lighting, and USB charging ports. Visitors appreciate the beautiful nearby lake and trails for day-long entertainment. While the access road has some rough patches, the overall experience, especially under the starry sky, is highly praised.
Review Summary
Anonymous
Sarah F
VerifiedJanuary 15, 2020 • Stayed at: C01, Loop: AREA BOLAN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
Amazing night at Bolan. Beautiful sunset with views of Shasta. 360 view of Milky Way and stars. And woke up to a beautiful sunrise.
Patricia M
VerifiedJanuary 15, 2020 • Stayed at: C01, Loop: AREA BOLAN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
This was an amazing stay and I would highly recommend it. The views were outstanding and the sunset incredible. Not an easy drive to the top but well worth it.
Sarah F
VerifiedJanuary 15, 2020 • Stayed at: C01, Loop: AREA BOLAN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
Amazing night at Bolan. Beautiful sunset with views of Shasta. 360 view of Milky Way and stars. And woke up to a beautiful sunrise.
Patricia M
VerifiedJanuary 15, 2020 • Stayed at: C01, Loop: AREA BOLAN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
This was an amazing stay and I would highly recommend it. The views were outstanding and the sunset incredible. Not an easy drive to the top but well worth it.
Joshua G
VerifiedJanuary 16, 2020 • Stayed at: C01, Loop: AREA BOLAN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
We had a nice time at Bolan Mountain Lookout. Our stay was near the tail end of summer and as such when we visited the weather was not hot. We endured our first thunderstorm in a lookout tower. That was quite the event. There is no way to lock the door to the lookout so be aware of that. Other visitors can drive part way up the road and then hike the rest of the way up to the tower. We had several visitors, including the USFS using the area around the lookout to spot for lightning strikes/fires.
Overall it was a nice stay. Keep your animals close and be prepared to hike up and down stone steps a lot bringing your gear and equipment up. The outhouse is at the bottom of the steps near where you park your car. This lookout was a little less equipped than the one we stayed in the previous year (2018), but we still had a lovely time.
The views of the night sky are unmatched and drinking a few brews with your feet hanging off the edge of the rocks is an other worldly sight to behold. Be aware that Bolan Lake is below the lookout and people can be heard down at the campground (fires, loud talking, dogs, etc.). There are better lookout towers to "get away from it all" if that's what you're looking for.
Joshua G
VerifiedJanuary 16, 2020 • Stayed at: C01, Loop: AREA BOLAN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
We had a nice time at Bolan Mountain Lookout. Our stay was near the tail end of summer and as such when we visited the weather was not hot. We endured our first thunderstorm in a lookout tower. That was quite the event. There is no way to lock the door to the lookout so be aware of that. Other visitors can drive part way up the road and then hike the rest of the way up to the tower. We had several visitors, including the USFS using the area around the lookout to spot for lightning strikes/fires.
Overall it was a nice stay. Keep your animals close and be prepared to hike up and down stone steps a lot bringing your gear and equipment up. The outhouse is at the bottom of the steps near where you park your car. This lookout was a little less equipped than the one we stayed in the previous year (2018), but we still had a lovely time.
The views of the night sky are unmatched and drinking a few brews with your feet hanging off the edge of the rocks is an other worldly sight to behold. Be aware that Bolan Lake is below the lookout and people can be heard down at the campground (fires, loud talking, dogs, etc.). There are better lookout towers to "get away from it all" if that's what you're looking for.
Daniel B
VerifiedSeptember 9, 2020 • Stayed at: C01, Loop: AREA BOLAN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
Best lookout we've stayed at thus far (out of 4). Views and landscape are incredible at every angle. Nice roomy deck, which was fantastic for unobstructed stargazing from the comfort of your front porch. Service was good enough for my fiancé to study with her hotspot on. Sign me up for that classroom! We could see flames from the south our final night :/ Hopefully this slice of heaven remains safe
Daniel B
VerifiedSeptember 9, 2020 • Stayed at: C01, Loop: AREA BOLAN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
Best lookout we've stayed at thus far (out of 4). Views and landscape are incredible at every angle. Nice roomy deck, which was fantastic for unobstructed stargazing from the comfort of your front porch. Service was good enough for my fiancé to study with her hotspot on. Sign me up for that classroom! We could see flames from the south our final night :/ Hopefully this slice of heaven remains safe
Nick T
VerifiedOctober 26, 2020 • Stayed at: C01, Loop: AREA BOLAN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
It was amazing. Reserved for two nights but left before the second night due to the slater fire. Sad it burned down, but I took pictures of the log book and put them in a google drive folder for people to see since I had a feeling it was going to burn https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1foZZTNV8_inGPjo2iBXZxPpiaWInLYhT
Location & Directions for Bolan Mountain Lookout
Bolan Mountain Lookout Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest Wild Rivers Ranger District 26568 Redwood Highway, Cave Junction, OR 97523 United States
Elevation: 1,901 ft
Getting There
<p>From Cave Junction, OR, travel south on Highway 199 6.4 mi to the Happy Camp Road (Forest Service Road 48). Turn left and travel 17.3 mi on Happy Camp Road (FSR 48) to the junction with Forest Road 4812. Turn left and travel 4.1 mi to the junct...
From Cave Junction, OR, travel south on Highway 199 6.4 mi to the Happy Camp Road (Forest Service Road 48). Turn left and travel 17.3 mi on Happy Camp Road (FSR 48) to the junction with Forest Road 4812. Turn left and travel 4.1 mi to the junction of Forest Road 4812-040, the road to Bolan Lake Campground. Turn left again, and travel 1.1 mi to Forest Road 535. Turn right and travel 1.6 mi to the lookout. Forest Road 535 is gated. The lookout can be accessed by passenger car, but a high clearance vehicle is recommended. Early summer access can be hampered by late season snow pack. Parking is just below the lookout. The 30 to 40 steps up to the lookout are steep and uneven. The lookout can be accessed by passenger car, but a high clearance vehicle and 4WD or AWD is recommended. Early summer access can be hampered by late season snow pack. Parking is available just below the lookout.
Highway access
Bolan Mountain Lookout is accessible via Highway 199, which is approximately 6.4 miles north from the junction with Happy Camp Road (Forest Service Road 48).
Nearby National Park
Hiouchi Visitor Center
Approximate driving time: over 1 hr (74 min)
Nearby Campgrounds
Nearby destinations
Last updated: October 19, 2026
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Population: 1,691
Elevation: 1,342 ft
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