Clear Creek Lookout

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Located on a long forgotten rock promontory, the Clear Creek Lookout was not even close to the highest point around. But the huge cliffs below the site give the location an airy feeling. The structure was an L-5 cab on a 10 foot log base. Built in 1932, it is unclear when it was removed. Not much remains but enough to make it an interesting visit.

Elevation: 3,000 feet
Distance: 0.4 miles
Elevation Gain: Few hundred feet RT

Washington Fire Lookouts

Former Lookouts

Access:

Driving the paved and popular FR25, go about 5 miles north of the Muddy River crossing, look for a major dirt road pull off on the right. Two roads branch off right, take the northern FR2573 for roughly 1.7 miles. At the bend in the road where the trail is located, there is parking and a post with no sign on it. It is easy to miss if you are not following along with a map or GPS. Most cars should make it if taken slow.

Route:

The access route is short but a fun trek along the abandoned Wildcat Trail. A few minutes into the walk are some remnant old trees that survived the fire that removed all the trees from the ridge (see the 1936 photos). Look for the surviving phone insulator on the left attached to an old tree. Just before the lookout site, the Wildcat Trail disappears (dropping off left says map) so just continue following the ridge until you reach the endpoint and lookout site. Even though cliffs are on three sides, somehow trees are still taking back the site.