Park Ridge Lookout

Park Ridge Lookout is a 20-foot steel fire tower near the southern end of Park Ridge, east of Grant Grove, at about 7,500 feet. Fire detection began here in 1916, though the present tower is much newer. It still serves as a staffed lookout in fire season, so this is a destination for the history and the ridge walk, not a roadside stop.

The lookout is open to visitors during fire season, usually from mid-May through October, but closures can come without notice. Public access to the site does not confirm that visitors can enter the cab, so plan for the tower and ridge rather than an interior visit.

The common route starts at the upper Panoramic Point Overlook and covers about five miles round trip. After the paved approach to the overlook, a rolling dirt trail follows the ridge; the last 0.2 mile uses a fire road. There is no vehicle access to the tower. Panoramic Point Road is narrow and winding above John Muir Lodge, so allow time for a careful drive.

There is no public toilet or drinking water at the lookout. The open ridge has little shade, so bring what you need for the walk and carry out your trash.

In winter, a route from Grant Grove Visitor Center reaches the lookout in about 10 miles round trip, with roughly 1,500 feet of gain and loss. It follows an unplowed road before continuing south along Park Ridge. This is a cross-country ski or snowshoe outing; hiking without traction devices is not recommended.

Fire detection began here in 1916 with an open-air lookout, a lean-to and a tent platform. A two-story wooden lookout followed in 1929. The present steel tower replaced it in 1964 and was moved about a quarter mile southwest.

Mattie Simms staffed the lookout every fire season from 1956 until retiring in 1974. Staffing became sporadic afterward and stopped in 1996. A partnership reopened the post in 2004, and volunteer firewatchers have staffed it each fire season since. The tower doubles as their workplace and residence, so it remains an active fire post rather than a display building.

Several open points along the ridge before the tower have better sunset views than the summit itself. If you are making this a photo hike, use one of those vantage points on the way out instead of waiting for the view at the tower.