Lookout Butte Lookout
USFS · Lookout/Cabin · Fee
Fast facts
- Cost
- Fee charged
- Managed by
- USFS
- Type
- Lookout/Cabin
- Hours
- Open 24 hours/day
- Reservations
- recreation.gov
- Nearest dump station
- Cedar Flats Dump Station · 6.7 mi
- Coordinates
- 46.0462, -115.6595
- Last verified
- September 18, 2026
About this place
Lookout Butte has a history that spans nearly 80 years and has been home to three lookout towers. The first, built in 1923, was 45 feet tall with just a platform on which to stand. A cabin was put on the tower a couple years later. In 1935, a 50-foot tower was constructed. A new tower was built beside the old one in 1962, and this is currently available for rent.
From the USFS.Official page
Is Lookout Butte Lookout free?
No. Lookout Butte Lookout charges a fee. It is managed by the USFS. Sites are reservable through recreation.gov.
How do I get to Lookout Butte Lookout?
Travel to Lowell, Idaho, Idaho located approximately midway between Lewiston, Idaho and Missoula, Montana on Highway 12, Milepost 97, Cross the Selway Bridge and drive 3 1/2 miles and cross the Swiftwater Bridge on your right. Follow the signs 13 miles for about one hour to the lookout. An alternate route has you traveling 6 1/2 miles upriver from the Selway Bridge cross de O'Hara Bridge on your right and follow the signs for about one hour to the lookout. The last quarter mile can be traveled in a "conventional" vehicle at low speed and with caution.
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.
