Hershberger Mountain

Type: D-6 cupola cabin
Status: Not staffed
Elevation: 6,200′
Visited: July 13, 2023

The Hershberger Mountain lookout is one of the few remaining cupola-style lookouts in Oregon. After a harrowing drive up the awful road, I parked at the turnaround spot next to an old shed:

Hershberger Mountain

View of the lookout from the parking area:

Hershberger Mountain

Hershberger Mountain

Hershberger Mountain

It’s a short walk up the hill to the lookout:

Hershberger Mountain

Hershberger Mountain

Hershberger Mountain

The place was all buttoned up:

Hershberger Mountain

But amazingly the door was only closed with a latch, not a lock:

Hershberger Mountain

It was somewhat clean inside, but totally devoid of furniture or amenities:

Hershberger Mountain

Hershberger Mountain

Definitely some rodent droppings in here:

Hershberger Mountain

The view to the north:

Hershberger Mountain

Looking east:

Hershberger Mountain

To the northeast is Fish Mountain:

Hershberger Mountain

And Mt. Bailey and Mt. Thielsen:

Hershberger Mountain

Looking southeast to the Crater Lake area:

Hershberger Mountain

Looking south to Union Peak and Mt. McLoughlin, with the distinctive Rabbit Ears in the foreground:

Hershberger Mountain

Hershberger Mountain

Looking southwest:

Hershberger Mountain

Looking west:

Hershberger Mountain

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

Directions

From Highway 230, just 0.8 miles north of the junction with Crater Lake Highway, turn west onto Road 6510. After 1.6 miles go right at a fork onto Road 6520. After 0.5 miles turn left onto Road 6515. Drive 6.7 miles then turn right onto Road 530. Drive 1.7 miles to the sharp switch back and trailhead on the left, then another 0.6 steep rough miles to the parking area at road’s end. (This last section of road is rough and not suitable for low clearance cars.)

History

A lookout camp was established on Hershberger Mountain 1917. A D-6 cupola cabin was built in 1925.


1925

Y-3-23.5 Hershberger LO ca1950
1950

The lookout has not been regularly staffed in quite awhile, but it has undergone restoration.