Lookout Butte Lookout

Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests — riverside, hiking

Location: KOOSKIA, ID, ID

Price: From $40 per night

Rating: 4.9 out of 5 (12 reviews)

Season: May through October

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.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water

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

Historic 60-foot wooden lookout tower with panoramic views perched atop boulders, offering a unique camping experience with nearly 80 years of history. Google reviewers consistently praise the amazing views and beautiful setting (4.7/5 rating from 11 reviews).

Wildlife alert: Moose, Bighorn Sheep, Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, White-tailed Deer, and various woodpeckers present in the area.

Insider tips for Lookout Butte Lookout: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site and high demand. Allow several hours longer than GPS estimates due to rough road conditions on the Lolo motorway (last 12 miles). High-clearance or 4WD vehicles strongly recommended — verified campers reported taking Jeeps with trailers.

Skip Lookout Butte Lookout if: You need hookups — no hookups available.. You prefer paved or well-maintained roads — access requires 12+ miles of exposed forest road.. You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations only..

Best time to visit Lookout Butte Lookout: July — Verified camper reports successful visits in late July with accessible road conditions..

Nearby campgrounds: Adams Ranger Station (Grangeville, ID), Jeanette (McCall, ID), Burgdorf (Mccall, ID), Chinook (Warren, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Lookout Butte Lookout

Cell signal at Lookout Butte Lookout (KOOSKIA, ID): 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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›ID›Lookout Butte Lookout
Lookout Butte Lookout — photo 1
Lookout Butte Lookout — photo 2
Lookout Butte Lookout — photo 3
See all photos
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests — riverside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Lookout Butte Lookout

Share:
KOOSKIA, ID, ID★ 4.9 (12 reviews)From $40/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.

Best for:HikersFamiliesSites: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.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

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

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.✕ You prefer paved or well-maintained roads — access requires 12+ miles of exposed forest road.✕ You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations only.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site and high demand.

Allow several hours longer than GPS estimates due to rough road conditions on the Lolo motorway (last 12 miles).

High-clearance or 4WD vehicles strongly recommended

verified campers reported taking Jeeps with trailers.

Best: July

Verified camper reports successful visits in late July with accessible road conditions.

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: Moose, Bighorn Sheep, Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, White-tailed Deer, and various woodpeckers present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
208-926-4258· Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
Getting there →

Travel to Lowell, Idaho, located approximately midway between Lewiston, Idaho and Missoula, Montana on Highway 12, milepost 97. Cross the Selway Bridge, drive 3.5 miles and cross the Swiftwater Bridge on your right. Follow the signs 13 miles for about 1 hour to the lookout. Alternative Route From Hwy 12, cross the middle fork of the Clearwater River at the bridge above Kooskia (MP 74) turn left onto paved County Road 1842, towards the Kooskia National Fish Hatchery, pass the fish hatchery approx

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 — Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Lookout Butte Lookout cost per night?+
Lookout Butte Lookout costs $40 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Lookout Butte Lookout open?+
Lookout Butte Lookout is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Lookout Butte Lookout have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Lookout Butte Lookout?+
Lookout Butte Lookout is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Lookout Butte Lookout?+
Lookout Butte 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 Lookout Butte Lookout?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Lookout Butte Lookout is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Lookout Butte Lookout open, and what are check-in times?+
Lookout Butte Lookout is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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.

$40 /night★ 4.9 (12)
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 Lookout Butte Lookout cost per night?+
What season is Lookout Butte Lookout open?+
Does Lookout Butte Lookout have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Adams Ranger Station

Grangeville, ID

From $50/night

Jeanette

McCall, ID

From $10/night

Burgdorf

Mccall, ID

From $10/night

Chinook

Warren, ID

From $10/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$40 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability
Lookout Butte Lookout — Nez Perce-Clearwater | CamperWatch