Type: 20′ steel tower
Status: Abandoned
Elevation: 5,527′
Visited: June 19, 2025
Bear Butte is very close to Silver Lake Road, but is a bit tricky to reach. We parked at an access road for the cinder pit on the west side (43.09927, -121.41894) and started walking. From the cinder pit you can just barely make out the deteriorating lookout cabin up there:
We bushwhacked our way up. Turns out there is a very faint old trail:
Close to the top we came across boards and wires:
The brushy summit:
This thing is barely standing:
Looking north with Bald Mountain on the right:
Looking east with Hager Mountain on the right:
Looking south at Yamsay Mountain:
Looking west towards the Cascades:
More information
Forest Lookouts
Rex’s Forest Fire Lookout Page
National Historic Lookout Register
Peakbagger
Panorama Photos
Geocache
History
Bear Butte (also known as Baldy or Bear Flat) first had a firefinder on the summit and a cabin lower down starting around 1932.
The current 9×9 cabin was built in 1949 and last staffed in 1966.