Pickett Butte Lookout

The well maintained forest roads made travel to the lookout easy. Pickett Butte Lookout was beautiful. The dumbwaiter made hauling things up fun and easy. Views were spectacular especially during sunset and sunrise. The S. Umpqua river was only a few miles away and we found many waterfalls to hike to and play in. The tallest Sugar Pine tree was neat to see. It was a great trip and we can't wait to come back. Truly a magical experience.

The well maintained forest roads made travel to the lookout easy. Pickett Butte Lookout was beautiful. The dumbwaiter made hauling things up fun and easy. Views were spectacular especially during sunset and sunrise. The S. Umpqua river was only a few miles away and we found many waterfalls to hike to and play in. The tallest Sugar Pine tree was neat to see. It was a great trip and we can't wait to come back. Truly a magical experience.

What a great experience the two nights we stayed at the beginning of April. This is my second time in a lookout tower, but the first in which I had to climb up a significant set of stairs to get to the tower itself. Part of the allure is the remoteness, but if you're craving some restaurant food, Canyonville is about 45 minutes away.

We loved pouring over old logbooks - the lore runs deep here! From "deerman" to "her" and everything in between, iykyk. They're full of useful tips as well, like hanging your bags of food to mitigate ants (which we did see a few of). We also spent time hunting morels in the nearby burns to no avail, enjoying the sunsets, and embracing being wrapped low-lying clouds.

Some tips and things we found helpful that no one mentioned in any reviews we read:
- While you're instructed to bring potable water and there are pots/pans/utensils, there's no basin for washing in the tower. We would have been served well with a collapsible sink system.
- You'll read stories of carrying dogs up and down the stairs. We found that with our 30lb dog, he felt much more comfortable going down the stairs on his own with me as a backstop of sorts. While it was slow going, it was faster and easier than trying to carry him down backward (yes, the stairs are steep enough to warrant a backward descent).
- Surprisingly, much of our supplies and equipment fit in the milk crate that serves as a dumbwaiter. Using it to the fullest extent made climbing the stairs much easier.
- Poison oak is all over the area, as well as ticks. We didn't suffer either fates, but many log entries talk about it.

Enjoy your time away at Pickett Butte! We'll certainly be back.

What a great experience the two nights we stayed at the beginning of April. This is my second time in a lookout tower, but the first in which I had to climb up a significant set of stairs to get to the tower itself. Part of the allure is the remoteness, but if you're craving some restaurant food, Canyonville is about 45 minutes away.

We loved pouring over old logbooks - the lore runs deep here! From "deerman" to "her" and everything in between, iykyk. They're full of useful tips as well, like hanging your bags of food to mitigate ants (which we did see a few of). We also spent time hunting morels in the nearby burns to no avail, enjoying the sunsets, and embracing being wrapped low-lying clouds.

Some tips and things we found helpful that no one mentioned in any reviews we read:
- While you're instructed to bring potable water and there are pots/pans/utensils, there's no basin for washing in the tower. We would have been served well with a collapsible sink system.
- You'll read stories of carrying dogs up and down the stairs. We found that with our 30lb dog, he felt much more comfortable going down the stairs on his own with me as a backstop of sorts. While it was slow going, it was faster and easier than trying to carry him down backward (yes, the stairs are steep enough to warrant a backward descent).
- Surprisingly, much of our supplies and equipment fit in the milk crate that serves as a dumbwaiter. Using it to the fullest extent made climbing the stairs much easier.
- Poison oak is all over the area, as well as ticks. We didn't suffer either fates, but many log entries talk about it.

Enjoy your time away at Pickett Butte! We'll certainly be back.

Beautiful scenery, quiet and serene. The stairs leading to the lookout are steeper than others I've been to but worth the climb! Enjoyed some cool wintery mornings looking out over the misty range.
The local rangers have your back! They had excellent communication with when there was a downed tree on the roadway to the tower.

Beautiful scenery, quiet and serene. The stairs leading to the lookout are steeper than others I've been to but worth the climb! Enjoyed some cool wintery mornings looking out over the misty range.
The local rangers have your back! They had excellent communication with when there was a downed tree on the roadway to the tower.

We had the absolutely best time, the weather was amazing, the facility was wonderful, and the views- indescribable! The ladders were steep indeed, made for strategic trips up and down. The Oven did not work for the entirety of our trip but we were able to make due, however the heater works incredibly well, thankfully! The opportunities for adventuring without driving are limited. Enjoy the space and her beautiful surroundings as they are. Star gazing was amazing!

We had the absolutely best time, the weather was amazing, the facility was wonderful, and the views- indescribable! The ladders were steep indeed, made for strategic trips up and down. The Oven did not work for the entirety of our trip but we were able to make due, however the heater works incredibly well, thankfully! The opportunities for adventuring without driving are limited. Enjoy the space and her beautiful surroundings as they are. Star gazing was amazing!

So quiet and the view’s spectacular!! Every thing worked with the exception of the oven a new pilot light sensor I think is needed. Enjoyed reading the journals and the collection of history. Bubbles will now be a lookout must, thank you Carter Family!!

So quiet and the view’s spectacular!! Every thing worked with the exception of the oven a new pilot light sensor I think is needed. Enjoyed reading the journals and the collection of history. Bubbles will now be a lookout must, thank you Carter Family!!