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California · Federal campground

Hirz Mountain Lookout

7 mi east of Lakehead, CA · AT&T 4G · T-Mobile 5G

Federal campgroundtype
Reservablebooking
Apr–Jun & Octbest months

About Hirz Mountain Lookout

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. When the lookout was built, it was originally a structure that sat on the ground. The mountain was a strategic location for detecting fires because it had a direct view into the headwaters of the McCloud River and most of its tributaries. In 1937, the Forest Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) rebuilt the Hirz Mountain Lookout cabin and included a garage and outhouse. It was one of the last CCC-era lookouts to be built. In 1949, a steel tower was added, constructed of a steel K-brace tower that stands 20 feet above ground level. Coming here is not for the faint of…

  • Fees: If the reservation was made through recreation.gov please call 1-877-444-6777 to make a refund request. Refunds must be requested no later…
  • Managed by: Shasta-Trinity National Forest, FS
  • Where: 7 mi east of Lakehead, CA · 40.91361, -122.2625

Things to do:

HikingBikingWildlife & birdingHuntingStargazingHistory & culture

Official page for this camp (fees, closures, booking)

Weather by month

52°
36°Jan
56°
37°Feb
61°
39°Mar
67°
42°Apr
77°
50°May
85°
57°Jun
94°
63°Jul
93°
61°Aug
88°
57°Sep
75°
48°Oct
59°
41°Nov
51°
36°Dec

Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: Apr–Jun & Oct (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: None.

See Hirz Mountain Lookout from above

Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.

Trails near camp

TrailOpen toFrom campLength
Hirz MtnATV road0.7 mi5.3 mi
Samwell CaveHiking1.2 mi0.6 mi
Fenders Ferry Fa27ATV road1.4 mi58.5 mi
Hirz BayHiking2.9 mi1.7 mi

Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.

Good to know

Cell signal

AT&T 4G · T-Mobile 5G

From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.
Night sky: Truly dark

The Milky Way shows rich detail, horizon to horizon.

Class 2 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.
RV essentials

Dump station: 24.2 mi
Propane: 19.1 mi

Nearest of each within 25 miles, straight-line.