Elevaton: 6,297 feet
Hiking Distance: 2 miles one-way
Elevation Gain: 800, 200 on return
County: Shoshone
Prominence: 1,457 feet
This lookout is a real experience. First enjoy the Silver Mountain Ski Resort gondola taking you to the top of a nearby mountain. There you can enjoy a drink or even have lunch. Next, walk an enjoyable mountain road to the summit. At the top, is a nice place to sit on the lookout, which provides shade or a wind break depending on your weather. Although it is a replica, it sounds like volunteers have staffed the lookout for educational purposes but also did keep and eye out for fires.
Access:
Drive to Kellogg and pay for the ski lift. Go during a Ride and Dine and have dinner! Follow signs to the lookout, the hike is well promoted.
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Lookout History:
In 1934, a 20-foot pole tower with L-4 cab was built.
In 1950, the tower was destroyed.
In 1997, the Silver Mountain Ski Resort built a handicap accessible replica L-4 lookout type building as a tourist attraction to get visitors to the resort in summer. Phil Ruff, a retired U.S. Forest Service forester in Kellogg, pushed hard for the resort to build the replica. A Forest Service archaeologist found the 1929 plans for the Kellogg Peak lookout to work with. They did not build the original root cellar. The tower was built on the original four concrete footings poured in 1934. No roads reached the first tower.
Kellogg Peak Lookout
To Kellogg Peak
Starting up the road to Kellogg Peak from just below the top of the gondola
In route
Looking North
Looking Northwest
Looking West with Wardner Peak next door
Southeast view
Looking East
Looking South
Kellogg from the gondola
Inside the lookout
Outside dinner, music starts at 5 p.m.
My 5 year old rushed down the road to get back in the bouncy house at the top of the gondola.