Camp ObserverCastle Butte Lookout
Camp site features
Across 1 camp site:
- Pets allowed: all 1 sites
- Largest party: 4 people
Directions
From Missoula, MT: Take US Highway 12 West for about approximately 78 miles (milepaost 139.7) to Forest Service Road #107 . All roads from this point are gravel or dirt and a vehicle with high clearance is suggested. Turn right onto Forest Service Road #107 (Saddle Camp and Gravey Creek), and go approx. 8 miles. Turn left at the first left in the intersection onto Forest Service Road #500 (Lolo Motorway), To confirm on correct road there will be interpretive signs on the right in roughly 75 feet. Continue west approximately 9.5 miles. This stretch of the road is windy and narrow. Turn left onto Forest Service Road #561 (Castle Butte Rd). It will be signed. This stretch of the road is very rough, rocky and bumpy, high clearance is advised. Travel south about 1.5 miles to the Castle Butte Lookout. Estimated driving time from Missoula is 3 hours.
From Kooskia, ID: Take US Highway 12 East for approximately 17 miles and turn left onto Forest Service Road 101 (Smith Creek Rd). All roads from this point are gravel or dirt and a vehicle with high clearance is suggested. Travel approximately 21 miles, then take a slight right onto Forest Service Road 500 (Lolo Motorway) at the Mex Mountain junction. Travel approximately 33 miles, turn right onto Forest Service Road 561. Turn right onto Forest Service Road #561 (Castle Butte Rd) and travel south about 1.5 miles to the Castle Butte Lookout. Estimated driving time from Kooskia is 5 hours. From Kamiah, ID: Take US Highway 12 East for about 1 mile and turn left at the end of the bridge over the Clearwater River onto Woodland Road. Drive about 1 mile and turn right onto Glenwood Road (Forest Service Road 100). Drive for about 23 miles to Road 103 at the Musselshell junction. All roads from this point are gravel or dirt and a vehcile with high clearance is suggested. Turn right onto Forest Service Road 103 (Gravey Creek Road) and travel 11 miles to Beaver Dam Saddle. Turn right onto Forest Service Road 104, travel for 1 mile. Take a left onto Road 500 (Lolo Motorway) travel approximately 20 miles to Forest Service Road 561 (Castle Butte Road). Turn right onto Forest Service Road #561 (Castle Butte Rd) and travel south about 1.5 miles to the Castle Butte Lookout. Estimated driving time from Kamiah is 4 hours.
Stay Limit
Check in from 2 PM, check out by 2 PM.
Reviews
Anna B
Loop:Area Castle Butte Lookout
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
Propane is disconnected while they fix it, so bring your own stove. Not sure about heat while it's disconnected, it was warm when we went up there. Tacoma made it to the base the steps. A few mouse droppings spotted, but otherwise no sign of mice.
Jacob F
Loop:Area Castle Butte Lookout
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
An incredible place! The lookout tower was well maintained and the bathroom was brand new and well stocked. The road up there is tough but a solid high clearance vehicle should be just fine. Saw a pair of American Kestrels around the peak every day.
Joel K
Loop:Area Castle Butte Lookout
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
We did a roadtrip visiting and stay in 7 different fire lookouts 7 days in a row, bringing our cat along with us. If you want more information about that, find me on YouTube @JoelKalich.
Location and Access:
This instructions here on recreation.gov to get to this lookout are WRONG if you're coming from highway 12. You should turn off of highway 12 onto the 107 (not the 108), continue for 8.6 miles, make the tightest left onto the Lolo Trail, continue 8.5 miles, finally turning left at the 561 to head 1.6 miles up to the lookout. I called to confirm that this is the best way to access it. The roads were in excellent shape with frequent drainage cuts up to the 561, the last 1.6 miles, which was quite rough. Check out the video on YouTube to see what you can expect. My lifted Volvo XC70 handled everything no problem. I'd say a stock Subaru outback could make it up to the base of the lookout, but driving the last 300-ish feet directly up to the lookout itself requires a more serious high clearance vehicle. You could just park at the base and hoof it up to the lookout itself if you want, avoiding that section entirely.
The lookout:
We had no issues getting into the lookout, the code worked well. It was clean and ready to use, though one of the most dilapidated structures on our journey. It was rural enough that we were not bothered by any visitors on the Thursday night when we visited. The beds are both slanted and we were unable to make them level. There isn't really a good table to play cards at, but we made do. The sink and stove didn't seem to work, which is fine, but was a bit annoying that they were taking up so much space within the lookout if they aren't operational. The toilet was downhill a bit, but not the worst we experienced on the journey. The toilet itself was brand new (I don't think I've ever been this early to a pit toilet) and well stocked with TP for us. Views were, of course, spectacular, though slightly dampened by smoke unfortunately.
Kristi A
Loop:Area Castle Butte Lookout
Site:
Reviewed a year ago
cook stove, didnt work. Heater, didnt work. No cots as listed in materials provided.
Konrad L
Loop:Area Castle Butte Lookout
Site:
Reviewed 6 years ago
The views were amazing. We had a handful of visitors during the day. Clear view of the Milky Way. The 500 road is horrendous need 4 wheel drive and high clearance to pass it. Heard that the Forest is planning on fixing the road at the end of this year though.
Brandi P
Loop:Area Castle Butte Lookout
Site:
Reviewed 7 years ago
Amazing views, the lookout was cozy. We hiked into Bald Mountain lake and fished and picked huckleberries. We also went to Rocky Ridge lake. Next trip we want to go to Horseshoe lake and Indian post office lakes.
Season dates
Peak season
Jul 25, 2027 – Sep 15, 2027
Reservable online
Peak season
Jul 31, 2028 – Sep 15, 2028
Reservable online
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