Hirz Mountain Lookout

Shasta-Trinity National Forest — riverside, hiking

Location: REDDING, CA, CA

Price: From $110 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (14 reviews)

Season: May through October

The McCloud River Wintu tribe held Hirz Mountain in reverence and had a name for it in their own language. But it was a white miner, Henry Hirz, who gave the mountain its modern name. Hirz was a gold miner who lived on Hirz Creek in the 1860s and was one of the earliest white men in the McCloud River country.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Electric Hookups

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/hirz-mountain-lookout to be notified when sites open up.

Hirz Mountain Lookout offers a breathtaking remote location with a restored historic fire lookout structure and excellent cell service. Campers praise the amazing restoration, clean facilities, and stunning views.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Bald Eagle, Ringtail, and various reptiles including Shasta Alligator Lizard and Striped Racer

Insider tips for Hirz Mountain Lookout: Book early—it's a federal campground with only 1 site and high demand Final 1/4 mile requires hiking in; consider a mountain bike to shuttle gear Road access has steep sections unsuitable for passenger cars; high-clearance or 4WD recommended

Skip Hirz Mountain Lookout if: You need hookups—no hookups available at this site. You have a low-clearance passenger vehicle. You're visiting outside May-October.

Best time to visit Hirz Mountain Lookout: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Nearby campgrounds: Ellery Creek (Lakehead, CA), Pine Point (Shasta Lake, Ca) (Lakehead, CA), Mccloud Bridge (Redding, CA), Dekkas Rock (REDDING, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Hirz Mountain Lookout

Cell signal at Hirz Mountain Lookout (REDDING, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Shasta-Trinity National Forest — riverside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Hirz Mountain Lookout

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REDDING, CA, CA★ 4.5 (14 reviews)From $110/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The McCloud River Wintu tribe held Hirz Mountain in reverence and had a name for it in their own language. But it was a white miner, Henry Hirz, who gave the mountain its modern name. Hirz was a gold miner who lived on Hirz Creek in the 1860s and was one of the earliest white men in the McCloud River country.

Best for:HikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Electric Hookups

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups—no hookups available at this site✕ You have a low-clearance passenger vehicle✕ You're visiting outside May-October

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

it's a federal campground with only 1 site and high demand

Final 1/4 mile requires hiking in; consider a mountain bike to shuttle gear

Road access has steep sections unsuitable for passenger cars; high-clearance or 4WD recommended

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear, Bald Eagle, Ringtail, and various reptiles including Shasta Alligator Lizard and Striped Racer

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
530-275-8113· Shasta-Trinity National Forest
Getting there →

From Redding, California, take Interstate 5 north approximately 20 miles to Gilman Road, exit 698. Turn right and follow Gilman Road approximately 5 miles to road 35N04. Turn left on the road 35N04. This steep, rocky, dirt road is not recommended for low clearance passenger vehicles. Travel approximately 5 miles to the locked gate. Due to rocky, slippery, steep terrain, the last quarter-mile section of road access to the lookout is for foot traffic only.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Shasta-Trinity National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Shasta-Trinity National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Hirz Mountain Lookout cost per night?+
Hirz Mountain Lookout costs $110 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Hirz Mountain Lookout open?+
Hirz Mountain Lookout is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Hirz Mountain Lookout have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Hirz Mountain Lookout?+
Hirz Mountain Lookout is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Hirz Mountain Lookout?+
Hirz Mountain Lookout is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Hirz Mountain Lookout?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Hirz Mountain Lookout is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Hirz Mountain Lookout open, and what are check-in times?+
Hirz Mountain Lookout is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service Concessionaire
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$110 /night★ 4.5 (14)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Hirz Mountain Lookout cost per night?+
What season is Hirz Mountain Lookout open?+
Does Hirz Mountain Lookout have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Ellery Creek

Lakehead, CA

From $30/night

Pine Point (Shasta Lake, Ca)

Lakehead, CA

From $150/night

Mccloud Bridge

Redding, CA

From $30/night

Dekkas Rock

REDDING, CA

From $170/night

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