Devils Peak

Type: 8′ tower with L-4 cab
Status: Abandoned but available to use
Elevation: 5,045 feet
Visited: September 22, 2012

There are several ways to reach Devils Peak in the Mt. Hood National Forest. Two of the approaches involve long hikes via Hunchback Mountain or Cool Creek. (See my 2022 report of getting here via the Cool Creek Trail.) We opted for a different approach which involved a long drive and a short easy hike. We drove nine miles on the very rough Sherar Burn Road until we reached the end. It took us 50 minutes to go that nine miles!

There was once a garage at the trailhead when the lookout was active. Part of the roof is still there but the rest is gone.

After a 1.2mi hike we reached the summit of Devil’s Peak. The old 1952 lookout hasn’t been used in years but it is in good shape.

There is a shed underneath the lookout.

Under the lookout

From the catwalk we enjoyed nice views of Mt. Hood.

And a view to the southeast.

The inside of the lookout is really well-stocked with a random assortment of tarps, blankets, candles, fuel, and even a speaker dock for an iPod (there’s no electricity up here!)

We had the whole place to ourselves, which was great, so we sat out on the catwalk eating chocolate and enjoying the entertaining notes left in the log books. It made for some great reading!

Directions

From the Trillium Lake Campground follow the road around the lake until you reach a junction with Road 2613 where you will turn left. Travel this road for nine miles to the trailhead at the end. From there the hike to the lookout is 1.2 miles one-way. (Driving directions) (Hike description)

More information
Forest Lookouts
Rex’s Forest Fire Lookout Page
National Historic Lookout Register
Peakbagger
Panorama Photos
Geocache

History

In 1924 a cupola cabin was built here. It was a one-room 12×12′ log building with three windows and a door, a shingled roof, and 6×6′ one-room cupola.

In 1933 the cabin was replaced with an L-4 cab on an 8′ tower.

Devils Peak

This was the same year that the panorama photos were taken so you can see the old cabin still standing in the southeast photo, which appears to have been taken from the roof of the new lookout (notice the stovepipe):

Devils Peak Panorama SE

In 1952, the supports for the lookout were replaced with treated members from an old bridge. The 1933 cabin is the one that stands there today. It hasn’t been staffed in decades. In Don and Roberta Lowe’s 62 Hiking Trails Northern Oregon Cascades (1979) their photo shows that the trees hadn’t yet grown up to obscure the view.