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.

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.

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!!

We had a great time at Pickett Butte. The weather was wonderful and the setting is just gorgeous. We were able to drive right up to the lookout and had no problems with the gate or lookout locks. The lookout is in good condition and we enjoyed the beautiful views, peaceful setting and star-filled skies. The one downside is that the stairs here are very steep, more like a ladder than stairs at the other lookouts that we've stayed at. Overall, though, I'd recommend it.

Best heater in all the land! Arrived in 3.5 feet of snow, only by the grace of snow built rigs and a winch. It was amazing being in a winter wonderland

Had a wonderful stay at this lookout! Road was snow-free and passable in my 24-year-old minivan (not 4 wheel drive) with no issues. 360 Views are amazing. Pulley system was super helpful-you'll want both hands free for climbing those steep stairs! Heater, stove & fridge all worked great and I was pleasantly surprised at how comfy the bed is. Outhouse was clean & well-stocked (although someone had gone right outside the outhouse & left dirty TP on the ground...WHYYYYYY?!) Definitely recommend this place, I'll be back for sure :)

We were pleasantly surprised by the ease of the amenities and comfort of the double bed. It was warm, cozy, and the sunrise was incredible. Don’t make our mistake and put “picket butte” in your gps or you will end up on some sketchy roads probably made for off road vehicles. Stay on the well maintained gravel roads! They give detailed instructions in the reservation email on how to get here and use the locks- screenshot these as you won’t have service until you get to the lookout.

Could not have been more pleased with our experience. The forest ranger was helpful when calling prior to our stay. The GPS will try and take you down another forest road, stay on 3133. The lookout was sparkly clean and well stocked. All propane lights worked, as well as the heater, stove and fridge. We stayed two nights and it was plenty of time to soak in the solitude and incredible sunrises/sunsets. Highly recommend!