Rock Candy is the third highest named mountain in the Black Hills. The mountain has a popular hiking trail to the top. The views have gone away with the current rotation of forest but when harvested, the views include the saltwater inlets at the southern end of Puget Sound and a nice perspective of the Olympic Mountains. Pictures on this page show the two times the summit has been harvested, in the 1930s and the early 2000s.
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Rock Candy Mountain
Distance: Drive Up
Summit Elevation: 2,356 feet
Access: Paved if hiking
Access:
From I-5, go west on Highway 101. At 5.5 miles, Highway 101 vears off, you are now on Highway 8. In 4.5 more miles turn left onto Rock Candy Mountain Road. The Rock Candy Trailhead and parking area is a short distance up the road. After driving for 2.5 miles on the road is a T intersection, go left. Just a short distance further, take a left onto B-5000. At 3.9 miles on B-5000 is a Y, turn left onto C-4700. Shortly after is a gate. If the gate is open, it is possible to drive the road 2.5 miles all the way to the summit.
On the summit of Rock Candy Mountain
Looking to the Olympic Mountains
Looking north to Puget Sound
Rock Candy Mountain in known for its flora
Saltwater Inlets
DNR Trail Map
Lookout History
Not much is known and we still have no image of the structure. Sometime in the 1930s, after 1934, there was a tower with cabin built. A 1942 document says it was a groundhouse lookout.
I don't believe this was a shutter in the picture but an attempt to block out the sun. The pictures was taken at 4 feet above ground, so no structure was there yet.
Southwest 10-5-1934
North 10-5-1934
Southeast 10-5-1934
According to this 1942 State lookout inventory, Rock Candy Mountain had a ground house.