Alpine Lookout
USFS · Lookout/Cabin · Fee
Fast facts
- Cost
- Fee charged
- Managed by
- USFS
- Type
- Lookout/Cabin
- Hours
- Check in: 2:00 p.m.; Check-out: 12:00 p.m.; Quiet hours are 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
- Reservations
- fs.usda.gov
- Nearest dump station
- Jackson Meadows Rv Dump Station · 12.5 mi
- Nearest water fill
- Indian Creek Camp Ground-Potable Water · 73.7 mi
- Coordinates
- 39.6788, -120.4635
- Last verified
- September 18, 2026
About this place
Calpine is a fire lookout tower that was actively used every summer until 1975. It is available for rental through recreation.gov. Visitors renting the lookout will have spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, sunrises, sunsets and stargazing. This is an extremely popular facility that is rented year-round. The Forest Service does not plow the road in the winter. Once the road is covered in snow, access is by snowshoes, skiis or renters can bring their own snowmobiles. Visitors renting the lookout will have spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, sunrises, sunsets and stargazing.
From the USFS.
Is Alpine Lookout free?
No. Alpine Lookout charges a fee. It is managed by the USFS. Sites are reservable through fs.usda.gov.
How do I get to Alpine Lookout?
From Sierraville, the lookout is approximately 10 miles north on State Highway 89. Renters will be given a renters packet after check-in with the best access or parking based on current weather conditions. During the winter months, access is by snowshoes, skis or snowmobiles on a 2 mile trail with a 1000 foot elevation gain.
Nearby
SourceData from the USFS. Last synced September 18, 2026. Community reports and photos are submitted by travelers and are not verified by the agency.
