Watchman Peak Fire Lookout

Administrative agency:  Crater Lake NP

Staffing status:  this tower was on emergency status or staffed by volunteers for a long time, but was reactivated with a paid lookout in 2001, hopefully for years to come

Elevation:  8013ft

Structure:  1931 cab 

Access:  the trailhead is signed at the viewpoint parking area, it is a 0.7 mile walk up to the tower, if you drive around Rim Drive you can’t miss it

Road conditions:  the road to the trailhead is signed

Interior:  the interior still needs some work, it contains a woodstove, shelves, and perhaps a table

Other structures on summit:  the lookout sits on and next to some small buildings, these were likely a trailside museum, and may be reopened in the future

Electrical power source:  a small solar array was present during my visit in 1999, but had been removed during the reconstruction process, some wiring is present inside the cab, I believe the solar array will be replaced to power the radio repeater 

Other:  the NPS has spent a reported $400,000 restoring the Watchman, the exterior looks great, the interior still needs some work, the entire catwalk has been replaced, the roof has been replaced, the lightening system is new, the paneling has also received work, hopefully the park will put some work into Mt. Scott next, the view of the lake is nice from this visitor friendly lookout

Visited:  Dominic Luebbers in August 1999 and July 2001