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Oak Flat Lookout
12 mi northeast of Choctaw Valley, CA · Verizon 5G · AT&T 5G · T-Mobile 5G
About Oak Flat Lookout
The Oak Flat Lookout sits the Greenhorn Mountains in the Sequoia National Forest and Sequoia National Monument, about an hour from Bakersfield, California. Perched at an elevation of 4,900 feet, the tower overlooks the scenic Kern River and Kern River Valley and has panoramic views of the mountains, river and valley. Oak Flat Lookout was constructed in 1934 to provide fire detection views along the Kern River Canyon. In the early years of the Forest Service, lookouts provided a crucial link in wild land management, often being the only source of communication and fire detection for many miles. The lookout was operational until the 1980s. There is no electricity or water in the lookout. All provisions, including food, water and bedding, must be carried up 40 steep steps to the tower space or pulled hand-over-hand in a small basket pulley system. Birdwatching and stargazing from the tower…
- Fees: $75/Night for single unit
- Season: April 15
- Managed by: Sequoia National Forest, FS
- Where: 12 mi northeast of Choctaw Valley, CA · 35.53528, -118.70694
Things to do:
Official page for this camp (fees, closures, booking)
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: Apr–May & Oct–Nov (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: None.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Trails near camp
| Trail | Open to | From camp | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Flat Lookout | Dirt bike | at camp | 3.3 mi |
| Oak Flat L.O. | ATV road | at camp | 1.0 mi |
| Badger Gap | Dirt bike | 1.3 mi | 12.3 mi |
| Democrat | Hiking | 2.1 mi | 0.9 mi |
| Cow Flat | ATV road | 2.2 mi | 14.2 mi |
| Powerhouse | Hiking | 2.6 mi | 6.7 mi |
Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.
Good to know
Verizon 5G · AT&T 5G · T-Mobile 5G
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way is clear overhead but fades toward town glow.
Class 4 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Dump station: 16.1 mi
Water fill-up: 16.1 mi
Propane: 20.9 mi
Camps nearby
- Breckenridge Campground 8.4 mi
- Evans Flat Campground 9.9 mi
- Sandy Flat 10.1 mi
- Hobo Campground 10.2 mi
- Kern River Camp Ground 11.6 mi
- Camp Okihi. Bakersfield 12.3 mi