The 12 Best Washington Fire Lookouts

Washington State is known for its fantastic fire lookouts. Most Washington fire lookouts were built in the 1900s after many fires devastated the area. Many were abandoned, but as of 2022, you can still experience 93 of them. It is on my bucket list to see all of them, but I talk about the ones I have seen so far, below. I still remember the first time I witnessed one, and I can’t wait to see even more. Go and explore and remember to Leave No Trace.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may receive a small commission (for which I am very grateful for) at no extra cost to you. 

A Note On Trash On Washington Hiking Trails

This year there has been a more significant number of people hiking the trails in Washington. While this makes me happy that more people are connecting outdoors, it makes me sad that the trails are trashed in the process.

Please pack out EVERYTHING you pack in. That includes orange peels, sunflower seeds, etc. Let’s keep our trails beautiful for years to come.

Want To Read More On Leave No Trace? Check Out This Post

What To Pack For Washington Fire Lookout Hikes

• Sunscreen: Super important and it is part of the ten essentials!  >Buy Sunscreen
• Chapstick: This one has SPF so your lips won’t get burned! >Check Out This Chapstick
• Hiking Boots/Shoes: If you use tennis shoes, you can easily hurt your toes hitting a rock by accident (Trust me, I have done it so many times before). >Check Out My Hiking Shoes
• Hiking socks: Having the correct socks helps you prevent getting blisters. Smart Wool is probably my favorite brand out there. >Buy Hiking Socks
• Water Reservoir: Water reservoirs help prevent me from getting dehydrated while hiking. The great thing about this reservoir is that it doesn’t have the plastic taste. >Here Is My Water Reservoir
• Water: Stay nice and hydrated.
• Sunglasses: It can get sunny, so make sure to pack some sunglasses. >Check Out These Sunglasses
• Snacks: The best snacks are jerky, nuts, and energy bars. Check Out These Bars
• Camera: The Sony A6000 was one of the first cameras I started traveling with. The Sony A6000 is an excellent camera for people that want to start improving at travel photography.  >Buy Sony Camera Here
• First Aid Kit: This is one of the first things I bought when I first started going on adventures. It is super portable. >Buy This Awesome First Aid Kit Here
• Day Pack to carry all your things: To carry all your gear, water, and food, you need a good backpack. Osprey is known to have some of the best backpacks in the market. >Buy This Great Quality Backpack
• Headlamp: A headlamp is an absolute must in case you get stranded in the dark! It is a lot more portable and easier to use than a flashlight. >Buy A Headlamp Now
• Leggings or Hiking Pants: I usually wear leggings while hiking because it is what I feel most comfortable with! >Click For My Favorite Hiking Leggings
• Breathable sweat-wicking shirts: Cotton shirts soak up your sweat when hiking, so make sure to wear something breathable. >Check out this awesome breathable shirt here.
• Mid Base Layer: If you are hiking in the winter, this might be a great idea. >Check Out My Sweater Here
• Sports Bra: For women. >Check This One Here
• Jacket: I always have a jacket in my backpack, even if it is hot. I do it just in case of an emergency.  >Buy My Favorite Jacket
• Rain Jacket: The worst feeling in the world is being wet and cold while hiking. You can get hypothermia, so always carry a poncho or a rain jacket when you hike Washington. >Check Out My Rain Jacket Here
• Tripod: This is an optional item, but it is excellent for getting the ideal sunset pictures. >Check out this tripod
• Knife: I always carry a knife in my backpack just in case. >Check Out My Knife Here

The Best Washington Fire Lookouts

Park Butte Lookout

• Distance: 7.2 miles, roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 2,020 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trail Guide: Link

My favorite lookout on this list is, of course, Park Butte. This trail is outstanding! The views of Mount Baker are breathtaking, and the other mountains surrounding it are glorious. We were lucky enough to experience a cloud inversion, and it has been one of my favorite hikes to date. You can stay in the lookout overnight, but it is first-come, first-serve. There is plenty of room to stay the night in other areas if you didn’t get to the lookout first. The views are pretty epic everywhere on the trail, so don’t be disappointed if you don’t get a spot in the lookout.

Read More: The 5 Best Mt. Baker Hikes In Washington State

Mount Fremont Lookout

• Distance: 5.7 miles, round trip
• Elevation Gain: 1,112 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trail Guide: Link

Fremont Lookout is probably one of the most well-known lookouts on this list. It is located in Mount Rainier National Park, and the views are outstanding throughout the whole hike! You can see Mount Rainier on 90% of the trail, which is rare for a Washington hike because most trails have too many trees.

Getting to the trailhead is very easy. The road is usually open by July, and it is luckily not a forest service road. The parking lot is also huge! Since it is easy to get to, be ready for heavy crowds. This hike is on many people’s bucket list, so there will be many people even if you go for sunrise or sunset.

High Rock Lookout

• Distance: 3.2 miles, roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 1,299 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trail Guide: Link

High Rock Lookout is probably one of the most popular trails on this list. It is not located inside Mount Rainier National Park, but it has outstanding views of Mount Rainier. What makes this trail even more appealing is just how easy it is.

Sadly, this is not a lookout as of January 2022. The lookout has been taken down for renovation, and it will be returned in 2023. When I was here, the lookout was completely trashed and smelled terrible. Please always pack out everything you pack in. Do not leave trash at these lookouts. Do not carve anything on these lookouts.

I still wanted to add it to the list because the fire lookout will return, and the views are still outstanding even without the fire lookout. Well worth the hike.

Hidden Lake Lookout

• Distance: 7.5 miles, roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 3,254 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Hard
• Trail Guide: Link

Hidden Lake Lookout is located in North Cascades National Park, and it is one of the most breathtaking trails I have ever experienced. I love this hike, but this trail is challenging! I underestimated it when I planned this hike.

First, the forest road is pretty atrocious. It is one of the worst forest roads I have experienced in Washington. Bring a high clearance car. Also, the parking lot is tiny. Since we were hiking during sunset we found a parking spot next to the trailhead but there were miles of people parked on the side of the road. If you get there mid-day in the summer, parking with be terrible.

The trail is very steep throughout the whole hike. We underestimated this, which is sadly why we never made it to the lookout. We were only a half-mile away, but we decided to take pictures because if not, we would have missed sunset.

I still wanted to include this trail because it is so breathtaking regardless of whether you get to the lookout or not. I will definitely go back and try this trail out again.

Sun Top Lookout

• Distance: 1.0 miles, roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 452 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trail Guide: Link

Sun Top Lookout is one of the least known lookouts on this list, and it is located right outside Mount Rainier National Park near Fremont Lookout. If you are looking for a less crowded lookout with views of Mount Rainier, then this is a great little trail for sunrise or sunset.

The road to get here is pretty rough, and the trail is a thigh burner! We were hiking as fast as possible to catch the sunset, and we were struggling. Even though it is only 2.1 miles round trip, it is still extremely steep. But it is worth it! When we were here, the lookout was sadly closed. But it means we will have to try again eventually.

Kelly Butte Lookout

• Distance: 3.5 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 1,099 ft
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trail Guide: Link

Kelly Butte is such a stunning lookout with glorious views of Mount Rainier. The trail is pretty easy and short, but I will warn you that the forest road is pretty bumpy, so having a high clearance car is recommended. Also, there is not much room to park, so either get here early or late. You can also backpack here and stay the night near the lookout. The lookout was not open when we were here, but we still took pictures around the railing.

Red Top Lookout

• Distance: 1.0 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 308 ft
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trail Guide: Link

Red Top Lookout is an excellent after-work weekday hike. The trail is pretty easy and short, and the views are glorious! The forest road to the trail is a little iffy, but my friend drove with a smaller car and made it to the trailhead with no problem. She just took her time and drove slowly.

Pilchuck Lookout

• Distance: 5.2 miles, roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 2,122 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trail Guide: Link

Pilchuck Lookout is the first lookout I have ever experienced in my life. I was addicted to exploring lookouts after seeing this beauty. I know this trail is listed as moderate on the AllTrails website, but it is in between moderate and strenuous. You have to do some rock scrambling towards the end, and I know scrambling is not for everyone.

What is remarkable about this trail is that you can sleep in the lookout, but it is first-come, first-serve. Also, I have heard that there is a rat problem, so be careful with your food and always leave no trace.

The views are not as epic as some of the other lookouts on this list because there are not many mountains close to the lookout, but it is still breathtaking. I especially loved the views throughout the trail.

Tolmie Peak Lookout

• Distance: 5.6 miles, roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 1,541 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trail Guide: Link

Tolmie Peak is one of the lesser-known fire lookouts in Mount Rainier National Park. This fire lookout is a true gem. It is located in the least visited area of the park, so there is a good chance you will have it to yourself for sunrise or sunset.

The road to get to Tolmie Peak is a pain. Even though it is located inside the national park, the forest road is a mess. It is recommended to bring a high clearance car because you will be driving extremely slow if you don’t.

The trailhead is located next to the popular first come, first serve Mowich Lake Campground. We decided to camp there for the night, and then we hiked up to Tolmie Peak for sunrise. You can also hike sunset and camp at the campground after your hike. You can not camp at the lookout.

Read More: The Best Hikes In Mount Rainier National Park

Granite Mountain

• Distance: 7.7 miles, roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 3,717 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Hard
• Trail Guide: Link

Granite Mountain is the most challenging hike on this list. I was struggling to get up the top before sunset. The trail is pretty long and steep, so it is not for everyone. But the views towards the end are pretty epic. What is also awesome is that it is relatively close to Seattle. The lookout was sadly not open when we hiked.

Heybrook Lookout

• Distance: 1.9 miles, roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 879 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trail Guide: Link

One of the best Washington State fire lookouts is Heybrook Lookout. Heybrook Lookout is one of those lookouts I love to hike all year round. The trailhead is located right next to the highway, so I don’t have to worry about driving on the forest road. I love to take beginner hikers on this trail because it is relatively easy and short, with fantastic views. I don’t think I will ever get tired of this lookout.

Heybrook Lookout has many stairs compared to the other lookouts on this list. It has views of Mount Persis, Mount Index, Bridal Veil Falls, and Philadelphia Mountain. The lookout has two levels. The top-level is for people staying the night, while the bottom level is where hikers can observe. You can find out more information on reserving a night here.

Winchester Mountain Lookout

• Distance: 2.9 miles, roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 1,299 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trail Guide: Link

Winchester Mountain is probably one of Washington’s most magical places to experience. The layers and layers of mountains that seem to go on forever are genuinely breathtaking. But getting here is not easy! Every time I talk to someone about Winchester Mountain, we always talk about the disastrous road leading up to the hike.

This road is known to be one of the sketchiest roads in Washington. Everyone, and I mean everyone I have talked to, has stated how they will never drive on that road ever again because it feels like they were going to fall off a cliff.

Don’t let that discourage you, though. There is a trailhead nearby you can park at that is not so bad (Yellow Aster Butte), and you can walk the rest of the way to the lookout, but that will add mileage to your hike. I know reading this can feel discouraging, but Winchester Mountain is known to be one of the best lookouts in the state and it is worth it!

Final Thoughts On Fire Lookout Hikes In Washington

Thanks for reading all about fire lookouts in Washington. Make sure to check out my other Washington Blog posts:

• The Perfect 2-3 Day Olympic National Park Itinerary
• The Most Incredible Washington Road Trip Itinerary: 7-14 days
• 25 Best Waterfalls In Washington State
• Best Hikes In Washington State
• 35 Best Things To Do In Washington State
• The 16 Best Spring Hikes In Washington State

Pin For Later: Fire Lookout Washington