Openings · last 7 days
4
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 4 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-234248
When Fivemile Butte Lookout reopens
Fivemile Butte Lookout's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
4
Openings · last 90 days
4
Only 4 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027 · of 1 monitored site
Of the 183 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 175 reserved · 8 closed.
No online availability right now
Of the 183 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 175 reserved · 8 closed. A free alert tells you if any date opens online.
Load status
Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027Not open online100%
Open site-nights0 / 183
Reserved (of online inventory)175 / 175
Of the 183 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 175 reserved · 8 closed.
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Mar 2027No month in range currently shows online availability. 0 open site-nights across the tracked window — these site-nights are a mix of reserved, closed, unreleased and non-reservable dates.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 1 cabin| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open | |
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 0 | None open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 0 | None open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 0 | None open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: no online availability on any tracked night. Christmas: no online availability on any tracked night. New Year: no online availability on any tracked night.
About Fivemile Butte Lookout
Overview
Fivemile Butte Lookout is available for reservation year-round. It provides stellar mountain views and access to a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities, including hiking, mountain biking and wildlife viewing. During the winter months, the lookout is popular among hunters and winter sports enthusiasts.
During winter driving conditions, from early fall to late spring, the lookout can only be accessed by skiing, snowmobiling or snowshoeing up to 3 miles one way from a parking area at the Billy Bob Sno-Park. In the summer guests can drive directly to the lookout. A Northwest Forest Pass is required for the parking area at Billy Bob Sno-park, annual or day passes can be purchased in person at the Hood River Ranger Station or online at https://www.discovernw.org/annual-northwest-forest-pass.
Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
Recreation
In the summer months, visitors enjoy hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking in the area, as well as the gorgeous views from the lookout. The lookout is near Eightmile Creek and Eightmile Trail, which travels through and around a riparian area, old growth pine forests and meadows dotted with wildflowers.
The area is popular among winter sports enthusiasts as well, as the location provides access to numerous cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling trails. It is a shared winter recreation area and lookout guests should expect other winter sports enthusiasts in the area.
Facilities
The cabin is atop a 40-foot tower and is surrounded by a wooden catwalk. The 14-by-14 room is furnished with a small bed, a wood stove for heating and a table and chairs. It has a propane cook stove and solar-powered lights. There is no water on-site. An outhouse with a vault toilet is located on the ground, as well as a shed stocked with firewood. A rope and pulley system is available to transport gear, as well as firewood, up and down the tower with ease. Guests will need to bring their own water for drinking, cooking and cleaning purposes, as well as their own sleeping bags/bedding, a flashlight or lantern for emergencies, first aid kit, washcloths and towels, dish soap and garbage bags. This is a "Pack it in, Pack it out" facility; guests will need to carry out all trash and clean the facility prior to leaving.
Natural Features
The lookout was originally a small cab on a 30-foot tower, established in the 1920s. In 1932, a standard lookout tower was built to replace the earlier lookout, but was destroyed by heavy snow in 1942. A non-typical lookout structure was rebuilt at the site in 1957.
The tower sits on Fivemile Butte, at an elevation of 4,627 feet. It is surrounded by ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and western hemlock forests. Numerous creeks run through the area. A variety of wildlife, including wild turkeys, grouse and blue jays, as well as deer, elk, coyotes, cougars and bears, frequent the area.
1 monitored cabinNo hookups1 shadedMax party 4
Getting there
From Dufur, Oregon, travel west on Valley Road for about 18 miles to the junction of Forest Service Roads 44 and 4430, at Billy Bob Sno-Park (the road may be plowed to the Sno-Park). Turn right on Forest Service Road 4430-120, then turn left and follow to the spur road 122. There is a gate that you will have to unlock (in winter months the gate is left open), then follow the 122 road to the end. The route is approximately 3 miles and is marked with orange and blue diamond shaped blazers. This route is not plowed, signed or patrolled. Forest Service Roads 44 and 4430 are closed from the junction of Forest Service Roads 44/4430 to Highway 35, from Dec. 1st through April 1st, prohibiting motorized vehicles over 48 inches wide without a permit. During this time and later into the year depending on snow levels, visitors should park at Billy Bob Sno-Park and hike, ski, snowshoe, or snowmobile 3 miles to the lookout. A Northwest Forest Pass is required park at the Sno-Park. Maps are available online or for purchase by calling the Barlow Ranger District.
6780 Highway 35, Mt. Hood, OR 97041541 467-2291
BirdingCampingCross Country SkiingHikingHuntingRanger Station
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-234248 · facility
Photo gallery
Roll CS-234248 · Fivemile Butte Lookout · Mt. Hood OR11 frames · facility
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Fivemile Butte Lookout?
Campsite Sniper's current snapshot shows none of the 183 tracked site-nights open for online reservation at Fivemile Butte Lookout. That can mean dates are reserved, closed, not yet released, or offered first-come, first-served rather than online. Campsite Sniper has also detected 4 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 16:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Fivemile Butte Lookout?
Campsite Sniper detected 4 site-date openings at Fivemile Butte Lookout in the last 7 days, 4 over 30 days and 4 over the last 90.
Does Fivemile Butte Lookout have online availability right now?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot, none of the 183 tracked site-nights are open for online reservation. That can mean dates are reserved, closed, not yet released, or offered first-come, first-served rather than online. A free Campsite Sniper alert tells you if any date opens online.
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