Round Mountain

Type: L-4 ground cabin
Status: Staffed
Elevation: 5,900′
Visited: November 11, 2023

While in the La Pine area over Veteran’s Day Weekend I decided to visit Round Mountain. I parked at the gate and walked the 1.4 miles up the road to the lookout:

The road to Round Mountain Lookout

This sign is incorrect. It’s more like 0.4 miles from this spot:

The road to Round Mountain Lookout

The road to Round Mountain Lookout

There was just a little snow on the ground:

Round Mountain

I reached the end of the road and this sign hanging on the toilet:

Round Mountain

Climbing the steps to the top:

Round Mountain Lookout

This lookout is staffed in summer, but was all closed up for the winter:

Round Mountain

Round Mountain Lookout

Round Mountain Lookout

Looks like a water tank of some sort:

Round Mountain

The views were somewhat limited today due to the clouds. Looking north at Lookout Mountain. To the left is South Sister and Mt. Bachelor, but they were hiding in the clouds:

Round Mountain

Looking east at Paulina Peak:

Round Mountain

View to the southeast:

Round Mountain Lookout

Looking south at Wickiup Reservoir and Davis Mountain:

Round Mountain

Round Mountain Lookout

Looking west at Maiden Peak and The Twins

Round Mountain

Looking northwest at Crane Prairie Reservoir and Cultus Mountain:

Round Mountain

More information

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

History

A 14×14′ L-4 ground cabin was built on Round Mountain in 1933:

It remains standing to this day, 90 years later! There was an article in the August 2023 issue of Lookout Network about this lookout. The deck was built in the 1980s, and new shutters were installed in 2017. The building has shifted over the years and is no longer square, so each shutter had to be built specific to its window.