Pickett Butte Lookout

Umpqua National Forest — lakeside, hiking

Location: TILLER, OR, OR

Price: From $40 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (29 reviews)

Season: May through October

Perched atop Pickett Butte at an elevation of 3,200 feet, this lookout offers visitors a unique lodging experience in Umpqua National Forest in southwest Oregon. After climbing 40 feet up on a very narrow steep stairway to the one-room structure, guests are rewarded with panoramic views of the entire Jackson Creek Drainage and much of the lower elevation lands around the town of Tiller. The original lookout was 25 feet tall and built in 1934.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water

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

Unique one-room lookout tower perched at 3,200 feet offering panoramic views of Jackson Creek Drainage and surrounding lower elevation lands. Campers praise it as very peaceful and quiet with a great heater.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Osprey, Wild Turkey, American Beaver, and Northwestern Garter Snake documented in the area within 8km

Insider tips for Pickett Butte Lookout: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 1 site and high demand Do not rely on GPS for directions; follow official written directions to avoid being sent down wrong roads Be prepared for a 40-foot climb up a very narrow steep stairway to reach the lookout structure

Skip Pickett Butte Lookout if: You are uncomfortable with steep stairs — multiple campers noted stairs are scary, especially when wet, cold, or windy. You need hookups — no hookups available. You visit outside May-October — seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Pickett Butte Lookout: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Three C Rock Campground (Roseburg, OR), Whisky Camp Guard Station (TILLER, OR), Dumont Creek Campground (Roseburg, OR), Boulder Creek Campground (Roseburg , OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Pickett Butte Lookout

Cell signal at Pickett Butte Lookout (TILLER, OR): 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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Umpqua National Forest — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Pickett Butte Lookout

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TILLER, OR, OR★ 4.6 (29 reviews)From $40/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Perched atop Pickett Butte at an elevation of 3,200 feet, this lookout offers visitors a unique lodging experience in Umpqua National Forest in southwest Oregon. After climbing 40 feet up on a very narrow steep stairway to the one-room structure, guests are rewarded with panoramic views of the entire Jackson Creek Drainage and much of the lower elevation lands around the town of Tiller. The original lookout was 25 feet tall and built in 1934.

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.
ToiletsVault toilets
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

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 are uncomfortable with steep stairs — multiple campers noted stairs are scary, especially when wet, cold, or windy✕ You need hookups — no hookups available✕ You visit 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 site and high demand

Do not rely on GPS for directions; follow official written directions to avoid being sent down wrong roads

Be prepared for a 40-foot climb up a very narrow steep stairway to reach the lookout structure

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October 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, Osprey, Wild Turkey, American Beaver, and Northwestern Garter Snake documented in the area within 8km

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
541-825-3100· Umpqua National Forest
Getting there →

Important note regarding GPS use: please be advised that GPS units can, and have sent guests down the wrong roads to access the lookout. Please consider following the directions below rather than your GPS unit. Directions: From Canyonville take West 1st Street and turn onto SE 3rd St/OR-227. Continue to follow OR-227 approximately 23 miles until you reach Tiller. From Tiller take Douglas County Road #46 for 3 miles to the Pickett Butte turn off which is marked as Forest Service Road #3113 (on th

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 — Umpqua National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Umpqua 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 Pickett Butte Lookout cost per night?+
Pickett Butte Lookout costs $40 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Pickett Butte Lookout open?+
Pickett Butte Lookout is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Pickett Butte Lookout have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Pickett Butte Lookout?+
Pickett Butte Lookout is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Pickett Butte Lookout?+
Pickett 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 Pickett Butte Lookout?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Pickett Butte Lookout is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Pickett Butte Lookout open, and what are check-in times?+
Pickett Butte Lookout is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●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★ 4.6 (29)
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 Pickett Butte Lookout cost per night?+
What season is Pickett Butte Lookout open?+
Does Pickett Butte Lookout have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Three C Rock Campground

Roseburg, OR

From $10/night

Whisky Camp Guard Station

TILLER, OR

From $40/night

Dumont Creek Campground

Roseburg, OR

From $10/night

Boulder Creek Campground

Roseburg , OR

From $10/night

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