Fire lookouts and Forest Service cabins for rent in California
Fire lookouts and Forest Service cabins for rent in California, each compiled from its own sources: season, road access, water, and what to bring. No ratings; every entry carries its status.
Point at a dot to see the place.Tap a dot to see the place. Road map of California.
- Bear Basin Lookout and CabinGasquet · Historic fire lookout and 1930s-style cabin rentalA 1930s Forest Service fire lookout, taken down on French Hill and rebuilt atop Bear Basin Butte above Gasquet, California, rented each summer with a cedar-shake cabin.
- Big Meadows CabinCabinA 900-square-foot Forest Service guard station built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, rented by the night at the edge of Big Meadows, Sequoia National Forest, California.
- Black Mountain LookoutBlairsden · National campgroundA 1934 Civilian Conservation Corps fire lookout on Black Mountain near Milford, California, rented by the night, its one room set ten feet up at 7,161 feet.
- Calpine LookoutCalpine · Forest fire lookout towerA 1934 Civilian Conservation Corps fire lookout on Calpine Hill in the Tahoe National Forest, rented by the night and one of three windmill-style lookouts left in California.
- Camp Four And Half CabinKings River · CabinA 1957 Forest Service ranger's cabin on the south bank of the Kings River at 1,100 feet, now rented by the night, reached by a dirt road past a one-lane bridge.
- Crocker Guard StationPortola · CabinA 1912 Forest Service guard station in an aspen meadow ten miles northeast of Portola, California, restored by Forest Service retirees and rented with propane lamps and no drinking water.
- Forest Glen Guard StationForest Glen · Forest glen cabin (guard station)A two-story Forest Service guard station of 1916 beside the South Fork Trinity River at Forest Glen, rented by the night, the oldest building on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
- Girard Ridge LookoutDunsmuir · LookoutA 1931 fire lookout on Girard Ridge above the Sacramento River Canyon near Dunsmuir, California, rented by the night and reportedly the oldest of its design in the state.
- Harvey West CabinCamino · CabinA 1930s lumber-company office on the Silver Fork of the American River near Kyburz, now an Eldorado National Forest rental cabin reached across a combination-locked bridge.
- Hirz CabinLakehead · CabinA three-bedroom Forest Service rental cabin on a hilltop above the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake, near Lakehead, where vandalism has left only the fridge, oven and water heater running.
- Hirz Mountain LookoutLakehead · Fire lookoutA 1937 Civilian Conservation Corps fire lookout above the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake near Lakehead, California, rented by the night and reached on foot for the last quarter mile.
- Little Mt. Hoffman LookoutMcCloud · LookoutFrom a height of 7,309 feet, Little Mount Hoffman offers a spectacular view of Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen, Mt. McLoughlin, and a variety of other interesting landforms.
- Oak Flat LookoutBakersfield · Fire lookout rentalOn the Greenhorn Mountains at 4,900 feet, the tower overlooks the scenic Kern River and Kern River Valley with panoramic views of the mountains, river and valley.
- Patterson Guard StationLikely · Guard stationBuilt in 1921, Patterson Guard Station supported the Modoc National Forest's fire program until 1981. With recent renovations completed, the guard station is now available for overnight rentals.
- Pine Mountain LookoutUpper Lake · Fire lookoutRustic Pine Mountain Lookout was constructed in 1933 and used for fire detection until 1942.
- Post Creek Guard StationHayfork · Guard stationPost Creek Guard Station was built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. This comfortable cabin accommodates up to six people, has two rooms, and measures 19x30 feet.
- Quaking Aspen CabinSpringville · CabinQuaking Aspen Cabin is situated in the Sequoia National Forest, about an hour from Springville, California. The cabin was originally built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and was used by the Forest Service to house fire patrol, recreation workers and other personnel. Located just inside Quaking Aspen Campground, the cabin is available to rent from mid-May through mid-October.
- Robbs HutCabinRobbs Hut offers a peaceful, rustic getaway with phenomenal views of the Sierra Nevada. The cozy, yet minimalistic cabin is open year-round and can be accessed by car in warmer months.
- Sardine Peak LookoutSierraville · LookoutA 1935 Civilian Conservation Corps three-story enclosed tower with external stairs; the top observation cab is the only rentable space. Sits at an elevation of 8,138 feet in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of Tahoe National Forest, approximately 20 miles from Truckee, California.
- Sly Guard CabinPollock Pines · Recreation siteThe Sly Guard Cabin is less remote than other cabins on the Eldorado National forest and is a great choice for families with children. The cabin is near Sly Park Reservoir, also called Jenkinson Lake, the tourist area of Apple Hill, a variety of wineries, a number of hiking trails, and the historic mining towns of Coloma and Placerville.
- Van Vleck BunkhouseCabinVan Vleck Bunkhouse overlooks a 40-acre meadow and the Tells Peak portion of the Crystal Range of the Sierra Nevada, providing a rustic camping experience year-round. Built in 1957, the bunkhouse is the last remaining building at the Van Vleck Ranch site. The area was operated as a cattle ranch from the 1860s to the 1960s.
- Wishon CabinSpringville · Two-bedroom cabinWishon Cabin sits amid oaks and pines in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in the Sequoia National Forest. The cabin, perched at an elevation of 3,900 feet, is located at the entrance of the Wishon Campground, about an hour drive from Springville, California.
Lookouts & Cabins in all eleven states; next door in Oregon.