Type: 2-story L-4 lookout
Status: Not staffed
Elevation: 4,506 feet
Visited: April 25, 2026
The Big Rock Lookout sits on Green Mountain so is often called the Green Mountain Lookout. It is located on timber land owned by Franklin-Clarkson. A sign on the gate says that non-motorized recreation access is allowed if the industrial fire precaution level is at 1 or lower. Right now we’re not in fire season so I guess that counts as “or lower”.
I parked at the gate on 424 and started hiking:
It was a gorgeous spring day that was just warm enough without being hot:
I saw these two dark spots on the road ahead and as I approached I saw it was two snowshoe hares!
The nearest one scampered off as I approached, but the other one took his sweet time departing the road, so I got a few good photos:
I continued along the logging roads. Lots of clearcuts, of course:
They’re hard to see, but there are two deer heading away from me in this shot. There were a total of four that I saw making their way through the clearcut:
The grassy rounded hump at left is Saddleblanket Mountain. The conical peak at right is Little Cowhorn Mountain:
Distant Bohemia Mountain with some snow on it, and conical Little Cowhorn Mountain
Mt. June at center:
Looking back the way I’ve come, with Mt. Jefferson in the distance:
My first view of the lookout:
Getting closer:
The last stretch of road to the top is quite steep:
After 5.9 miles I reached the lookout:
The interior is empty except for an old table and chair:
Mt. Hood:
Mt. Jefferson to the northeast, with Bachelor Mountain and Olallie Butte at far left:
Mt. Washington to the east:
The twin summits of Tidbits Mountain:
The Three Sisters:
Mt. Bachelor:
A wider view to the east:
Looking south at Diamond Peak. All that burned forest is from the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire:
View to the southwest with more burn area:
View to the northwest with Marys Peak on the right:
View to the north. The distant peaks right of center are Green Peter (which has a lookout that I visited last year) and Bald Peter:
Then it was back down the road for the long trek to my car. You can see the burnt snags from the 2020 fire, and how close it got:
This landmark to the east is called Two Girls:
Saw a few wildflowers on today’s trek:
Numerous patches of phlox on the summit:
I didn’t see a single patch of snow all day.
Directions
From Highway 20 head south on Canyon Creek Road / Road 2022 for 7 miles, then fork right onto Road 2026, keeping right to cross the bridge. Drive for 5 miles, then turn right onto Road 424. After 0.1 miles you’ll reach the edge of the Willamette National Forest and a closed locked gate. Park here without blocking the gate. My walking track from the gate to the lookout is here.
More information
Forest Lookouts
Rex’s Forest Fire Lookout Page
National Historic Lookout Register
Peakbagger
History
Established as a camp in 1916, this 2-story L-4 cab, built in 1950, was used for emergencies in the 1970’s.
A road was built to the summit in 1949. In 1950 a 14×14 lookout on an enclosed 9 foot tower was built on Green Mountain at a cost or $2915. It was owned by the Santiam Lumber Company and operated by the Linn Fire Patrol.
The Albany Democrat Herald reported on June 21, 1951 that the lookout burned down when sparks from the cabin’s cookstove started a fire.
The lookout was reconstructed in 1951, although the construction could not start until late July due to deep snow that lingered from winter.
The lookout came very close to being destroyed in the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire, which burned trees on the slopes of the mountain, but it survived.
By February 2024 the structure was in very poor shape:
Melinda Martin
At some point in 2024 or 2025 the lookout was fixed up and remotely-monitored cameras were installed.
1955 map:
1989 map:
1997 map:
