Nelson Butte Lookout Site

Known as both Nelson Knob and Nelson Butte, this site started as a lookout camp.

In 1931, a newspaper reported that the lookout on Nelson Butte sighted a fire near the slide across the lake. A crew of men was sent there and soon the fire was under control.

In 1933, another article said The Chelan Camp F-11 has taken the bit in its teeth to run away from the others. Already they are well on their way to Nelson Butte Summit, and have most of the road to Safety Harbor Creek completed. With branch camps established ahead and a cat crew on the summit to work down they are out to finish their road projects or bust.

In 1934, now with a road, a 20 foot pole tower was built with an L-4 tower on top. They had finished much of it when on August 30th, the panorama images were taken at 25 feet high.

In 1953 the tower was abandoned or destroyed.

Lookout Elevation: 6,267 feet
Hiking Distance: Under half mile up
Elevation Gain: 350 feet
County: Chelan
Access: Gravel Roads

The best route up is from the North ridge. There is an old fire brake up the entire ridge that is open but slowly regrowing vegetation.

Looking Southeast 1934

Looking Southwest 1934

Nelson Butte Lookout

1936 Lake Chelan Recreation Map

1938 Chelan National Forest Map

From Chelan, drive 6.5 miles on the Chelan-Manson state highway 150 towards Manson. Turn Right onto Wapato Lake Road and drive 2.3 miles to Upper Joe Creek Road for 4.2 miles where the road becomes the Grade Creek Road. Continue around 25 miles to the north ridge of the peak. Pull over and park. If you hit the South Navarre Campground you went too far.

Looking north to South Navarre Peak

Looking south down Lake Chelan

Big Goat Mountain and Uno Peak with Bonanza just poking up between the two.

Looking north to Uno and Ferry Peaks

Some kind of platform at the summit

Rocks lined up near the summit

Morning light to the East

Stormy Mountain to the SW across Lake Chelan

Lake Chelan down there