Campground Details - CASTLE BUTTE LOOKOUT, ID - ReserveAmerica

Overview

Castle Butte Lookout is a unique cabin perched on a rocky point, 6,659 feet above sea level. It offers breathtaking, 360-degree views of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, the Seven Devils Mountains, the Great Burn area and the deep canyons of the North Fork Clearwater River's upper drainages.

A cabin was first constructed on this site in 1916 and was replaced in 1928 with a log cabin featuring a cupola. The current lookout was built in 1950.

Access to the lookout is via the Lolo Motorway, a primitive, single-lane road constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930s. It is not recommended for large RVs, vehicles with low ground clearance or trailers. Guests should be prepared to walk about 100 feet up steep, rocky terrain to reach the lookout.

Castle Butte Lookout is equipped with a few creature comforts, but guests will need to bring some gear and supplies to help make their stay enjoyable. The panoramic view guarantees a memorable stay.

Natural Features:

The lookout is surrounded by a rocky landscape that quickly gives way to dense forests of lodgepole and Ponderosa pines.

This unique facility offers an ideal vantage point to watch sunrises and sunsets, and gaze at the stars. Wildlife enthusiasts may spot eagles, bears, moose, elk, deer and mountain goats.

Recreation:

Hikers can follow the paths of the Nez Perce and Lewis and Clark on the historic Lolo Trail. The Lolo Motorway is popular with off-road vehicle enthusiasts. Click herefor an Idaho OHV safety message.

Huckleberries are abundant in the summer, offering good berry picking opportunities.

Facilities:

Castle Butte Lookout can accommodate four people and comes equipped with two twin beds with foam mattresses, two cots, a table with two chairs, a propane cook stove, mop and bucket, propane lights and propane heater. A pit toilet is located in a separate building outside. Click here for additional cabin details.

The cabin does not have electricity or water. Guests should bring their own water supply, emergency lighting and garbage bags, as well as bedding, matches, toilet paper, cookware and cooking utensils. The cabin should be cleaned before departure.

Nearby Attractions:

The Lolo Motorway stretches for 100 miles through scenic mountain landscapes. Summer visitors can see meadows and hillsides blanketed in colorful wildflowers. Travelers should be prepared for rough, sometimes treacherous conditions. No services are located along this road, so travelers should have plenty of gas, food and water for the drive.

Activities and Amenities

Within Facility
Bed(s) Berry Picking Cleaning Equipment Cot(s) Fire Extinguisher Mattress(es) Off-Road Vehicle Trails Parking Area	Pit Toilets Propane Heat Propane Lights Propane Stove Scenic Overlooks Star Gazing Table & Chairs
Less Than 1 Mile
Hiking Historic Sites	Lake Access Scenic Drive

Know Before You Go

Guests need a lock combination to access the lookout cabin; combination will be on confirmation letter
No water is available at the lookout
Cell phone coverage is unreliable; nearest phone is 45 miles away in Powell, Idaho
We discourage bringing children to the lookout because of the inherent danger of such a facility
No garbage service is offered; please pack out your garbage
Candles are not permitted in the lookout
No livestock allowed
Domestic pets are allowed; please be sure to clean up after them
Most lookouts have occasional visits from Forest Service employees or members of the public; these people may be using the pit toilet or looking at the views from the peak or cabin walkway
Click here for more information about Clearwater National Forest

Getting There:

GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
46.43417, -115.21917
46°26'3"N, 115°13'9"W

From Kooskia, ID, take U.S. 12 east for about 65 miles and turn left on Road 107/Gravey Creek Road/Saddle Camp Road. Drive for about 6 miles, then take a slight right on Road 107/Gravey Creek Road. In about 3 miles, turn left toward Lolo Motorway/Lolo Trail. Take the first right onto Lolo Motorway/Lolo Trail. Drive for about 9.5 miles, then Lolo Motorway turns right and becomes Forest Road 561.

From Missoula, MT, take U.S. 12 west for about 75 miles and turn right on Road 107/Gravey Creek Road/Saddle Camp Road. Drive for about 6 miles, then take a slight right on Road 107/Gravey Creek Road. In about 3 miles, turn left toward Lolo Motorway/Lolo Trail. Take the first right onto Lolo Motorway/Lolo Trail. Drive for about 9.5 miles, then Lolo Motorway turns right and becomes Forest Road 561.