Sight · Yosemite National Park
A 1931 fire tower and broad views, with a working helibase nearby.
Overview
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Plan your stop
“Some of the color on Yosemite's rocks is alive. Lichens grow on stone and tree bark, and each is a partnership. A fungus lives with algae or bacteria that make food from sunlight. The fungus gathers and holds water.”
Yosemite Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yosemite National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Yosemite audio tourRecorded for this area
Living Color on the Rocks“Some of the color on Yosemite's rocks is alive. Lichens grow on stone and tree bark, and each is a partnership. A fungus lives with algae or bacteria that make food from sunlight. The fungus gathers and holds water.”
Plays on the road 0.3 mi from Crane Flat Fire Lookout in the Parkwolf Yosemite Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“We just drove through Yosemite and it made our trip listening to this app as we drove through. Like having a tour guide in the car with you.”
Guide
Crane Flat Fire Lookout is a two-story tower on a forested knoll at about 6,600 feet. Built in 1931, it was Yosemite's first permanent fire lookout. The glass-walled cab and wraparound catwalk make this a worthwhile stop if park history and fire lookout architecture interest you.
One visitor-described route from Tuolumne Grove Trailhead is about 3 miles round trip with roughly 450 feet of climbing, along an old fire road and service road before a short path near the helipad. Treat those as reported route figures, not official trail signage: current public access and the service-road gate status are unclear. Check with Yosemite before planning a drive-up visit, and stay on the signed visitor route near the helibase.
The summit opens to broad mountain views, though helibase towers, antennas, and wires interrupt parts of the panorama. Walk around within the signed visitor area to find a cleaner angle and frame the lookout with the ridgelines; there may not be a completely uncluttered view. Crane Flat's gas station and seasonal store are separate stops, and no public restroom or drinking water is confirmed at the tower.
Wildlife
732 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,747 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
332 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
11 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
276 sightingsPikaMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
677 sightingsYellow-bellied MarmotMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yosemite. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateTuolumne Grove Trail2.5 mi · 2 hr · 0.8 mi awayThe walk-through Dead Giant makes the steep return worthwhile.
ModerateMerced Grove Trail3 mi · 2.5 hr · 1.2 mi awayA secluded sequoia grove rewards the steep uphill return.
EasyCrane Flat Lookout Trail3 mi · 1.5 hr · 1.3 mi awayA steady climb to a 1931 fire lookout with wide views.
EasyCarlon Falls Trail2.9 mi · 1.5 hr · 4.4 mi awayA shady river walk ends at a cascade tucked in the forest.
ModerateSouth Fork Tuolumne River Trail5.8 mi · 4.5 hr · 4.7 mi awayA quiet forest descent to the South Fork Tuolumne.
ModerateCascade Creek Trail from Tamarack Flat4.4 mi · 2.3 hr · 4.7 mi awayAn old forest road ends at a footbridge and small cascades.
ChallengingTamarack Flat to Yosemite Valley Trail17 mi · 10.5 hr · 4.7 mi awayCross the north rim, then descend Yosemite Falls to the Valley.
ChallengingEl Capitan from Tamarack Creek16 mi · 10 hr · 4.8 mi awayA long forest climb to El Capitan's broad summit views.
Sight · 1 mi awayTuolumne GroveTwo dozen sequoias are worth the 500-foot climb back.Sight · 1.2 mi awayMerced GroveThe quiet sequoia grove saves its climb for the way back.
Campground · 1.3 mi awayCrane Flat CampgroundForest camping near Yosemite Valley and two giant sequoia groves.
Gas station · 1.4 mi awayCrane Flat Gas StationFuel, groceries and a useful break at Yosemite's northern road junction.
Campground · 3.8 mi awayHodgdon Meadow CampgroundA west-side base, with Yosemite Valley about 45 minutes away.
Entrance station · 4.1 mi awayBig Oak Flat EntranceThe park’s colorful sign is just beyond the Highway 120 fee booths.
Visitor center · 4.1 mi awayBig Oak Flat Information StationGet wilderness permits, maps and useful advice before heading deeper.
Campground · 4.6 mi awayTamarack Flat CampgroundForest camping with a trail toward Yosemite's North Rim.Parkwolf’s Yosemite ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
