Heybrook Lookout, Gold Bar, WA

Heybrook Lookout is located in the Skykomish Ranger District of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (1 hr 12 min northeast of Sammamish, WA) with an elevation of 816 feet. The site is normally open from the beginning of May to the end of October. There is a fee of $75.00 per night.

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Campsite Reviews (31)

4.6 out of 5

5 star		71%
4 star		16%
3 star		3%
2 star		6%
1 star		0%

@EricE762939232 · Camped on Jul 23, 2024 at Campsite #1

Very unique experience with amazing views. Recommend packing adequate water, 1-2 gallons per day/per person. Also know that we found this to be a very popular hiking destinations with frequent visitors respectfully enjoying balcony area directly below from 5am to 9pm.

@DanD2593905 · Camped on Jun 30, 2024 at Campsite #1

A wonderful site and the lookout cabin was very well appointed.

@CindeeM3A16795 · Camped on Oct 29, 2023 at Campsite #1

The weather was perfect. Enjoyed the hike and was pleasantly surprised of the accommodations. The view from the lookout is breathtaking. I hope to get a reservation next year.

@MEGANE12749A9C · Camped on Oct 4, 2023 at Campsite #1

Amazing experience! The hike up was pretty exhausting being out of shape and having loaded backpacks but 100% worth it. There were more amenities up in the tower than we realized which was great (solar powered lights for nighttime, bed with room for two people, utensils that we didnt use but good to know, extra garbage bags etc). 10/10 recommend doing this at least once in your life.

@BeccaB7624271 · Camped on Sep 2, 2023 at Campsite #1

Truly incredible experience. The panoramic views and the sunset were unreal. The watchtower had everything you could need and more - we were shocked by how perfectly stocked it was. We will come back as soon as we can get another resy.

@SarahC1505024 · Camped on Jul 20, 2023 at Campsite #1

I dont think we have ever had such a wonderful camping experience as we did in the Heybrook lookout.Shout out to the Skykomish Rangers and all that they do!! They put up with a lot of crap from the public and work very hard to provide and maintain clean accessible land for us to enjoy! Ive been visiting Heybrook as a day hike for years, it is one of my favorite trails and getting to stay in the lookout was a bucket list check off for me! It was clean, well kept, and surprisingly quiet. We did get a few noisy people at sunset, and a couple at sunrise, but it is to be expected- you are not renting out the entire lookout, keep in mind that others deserve to partake in the areas as well. Look into backcountry permits if you would like a truly private experience. There were signs leading up to the lookout saying occupied, please be respectful and I feel like that helped - this is the first year Ive seen the signs. The bathroom situation is something to talk about. We are all adults, if you go potty in the woods and leave toilet paper on the ground shame on you. If youre going to not use the provided receptacle at least use a reusable kula cloth and/or pack out your garbage. If you can score the competitive reservation, do it! It was so worth it!

@KatherineG5078 · Camped on Jul 3, 2023 at Campsite #1

This was a great Lookout. Wish we had done more stairs to prepare for the 8 flights up to the top, but we survived. The lookout itself is well stocked with cleaning supplies, reading materials, some puzzles and some games. There is one full size mattress on the bed frame, and two twin mattresses stored under the bed. Most of the furniture is bolted into the walls / floor - we noticed a number of ants under one bookcase, but were unable to move it to clean under it / behind it. As gets mentioned frequently - this is a popular day hike destination, and you should expect visitors to the observation platform below both late at night and early in the morning (we stayed on a Monday night which I thought would be less crowded, but we had a group of 8 at 10 PM, and then around 20 by 5:30 AM). Luckily for us, our visitors were very quiet / respectful - we could definitely hear that they were there, but I wouldn't have considered them any worse than a crowded campground this time of year. The trapdoor has a large bolt from above, and the actual door locks - so I never felt the visitor situation was unsafe. We were fascinated by the log entries from the Bolt Creek firefighters last fall - most simply wrote names / companies, but there were some real entries and it was fascinating to see all the places that sent responders to help with the fire. So cool! Though the lookout needs a new / bigger log. As someone else mentioned - there is a bizarre amount of toilet paper leading to the pit toilet - not sure what's the story there. We enjoyed exploring the forest service road up top.

@ScottG2628513 · Camped on Jun 19, 2023 at Campsite #1

We had a very pleasant stay at the glass house in the clouds. The weather didn't exactly cooperate. But even with the clouds and the rain, we still had beautiful view of the nearby mountains.

@LarryG4149139 · Camped on May 17, 2023 at Campsite #1

Wonderful hike with my son. We were beat by the time we made the ridgetop but well worth it. The lookout cools down quickly once you open the windows, and the view was unbelievable.

@BrookeK7764526 · Camped on May 10, 2023 at Campsite #1

This location serves as the ultimate vantage point, offering breathtaking views. However, it is crucial to be aware that it has become incredibly popular among day hikers. They flock to the viewing platform at all hours, sometimes leaving behind graffiti. Witnessing people neglecting the care of this lookout saddened us. It is essential to remember the principle of "Leave No Trace" and preserve these special places. Our day hike to Bridal Veil Falls and Serene Lake was truly rewarding. Although one downside was the realization that we had to hike back up to the lookout afterwards, making it a double workout! On the bright side, make sure to visit Zeke's Drive In for some post-hike refueling. Their french dip burger and shakes are undeniably amazing.

@CierraC8769773 · Camped on Aug 28, 2022 at Campsite #1

Pretty great lookout but at the end of a very trafficked trail. So much TP and trash on the trail to the toilet, what a bummer! Be prepared to share the space with others hiking out for the views and instagram pics from the top of the tower. The tower itself is open to the public, and the lookout is private. Some folks are curious and mischievous enough to try to open the latch and join you in the lookout! Be sure to lock the latch! I will be looking for a more remote lookout next time. Great views though!

@viswanath43591 · Camped on Aug 13, 2022 at Campsite #1

Heybrook lookout is simply awesome to experience sunset, moonrise, moonset, nature and everything in-between. The only thing is you have no water source, but you get propane with 2 burner stove, heater and lot utensils for cooking. Bring some light source and enjoy. Be aware you need to walk around 1mile with around 1000 feet elevation and collect the keys to the cabin at ranger station located 15 miles from the trailhead.

@DavidH4978786 · Camped on Aug 12, 2022 at Campsite #1

Had a wonderful trip. Heybrook is a very unique camping experience. Remember to pack adequate water as there is no water source at the lookout.

@veronicam71483 · Camped on Aug 3, 2022 at Campsite #1

Awesome lookout. Zero privacy. People screaming and climbing up at all hours despite the signage requesting privacy

@DonnaC2645170 · Camped on Jul 31, 2022 at Campsite #1

We stayed on a Sunday night in the middle of a heat wave. Started the hike in the late afternoon and it was really hot but barely anyone on the trail! Lookout was more furnished than I expected; there is actually a double bed, two single mats, several chairs and table for guests to use. There were cooking utensils and pans along with the stove but we didn't use any of it. Some lights worked and some didn't so bring your own. There was even an encyclopedia set (feel bad to the poor soul who hiked this up!). Views were beautiful all hours of the day! Evening sun makes the lookout very hot. This is a popular hike so expect people. Lookout sways when people hike up the stairs. Most hikers in the public areas of the lookout were respectful during our stay; except for one pair that chatted about personal topics until dark (but before quiet hours).

@ConnorP6500684 · Camped on Jun 20, 2022 at Campsite #1

What a dream! We had the absolute best time up in the Lookout. Wish we could've stayed longer. Views were incredible and we were blessed with mostly clear skies in the night and morning. The Lookout was much larger than we had expected, with the four of us having plenty of space to ourselves while up top. Had to hike from the trailhead up to the top when we originally thought we may be able to use the Forestry Road but it wasn't all that bad. Maybe won't bring such a heavy cooler next time. Absolutely no qualms about staying at Heybrook.

@Gabrielle44268 · Camped on Jun 3, 2022 at Campsite #1

The Heybrook lookout is charming and well-furnished with great views when the weather is clear. The hike is a steady uphill walk but not too long. At first you hear Highway 2 car traffic but the sound of cars eventually fades and it’s nice pleasant woods walk. Our packs were heavy since we brought about 6 liters of water- which was a good amount for 2 people doing a one-night stay. We had weaker cell phone service but could have used our cell phones in an emergency. Although the lookout has dishes, pots, etc., plus cleaning supplies we brought disposable utensils, plates & our own backpacking cooking pots to avoid carrying even more water for doing dishes. Lookout easily sleeps 2 on the double bed or 4 if you use the mattresses provided and sleep on the floor. Very peaceful and the sounds of Highway 2 don’t reach up there- note that the sounds of the freight trains ARE audible!! The forest service ranger station is about 15 minutes away from the trailhead and their reservation/check-in/ key pickup and return process is contact-less and easy. (Easier than when you had to get there in person during their business hours.) Okay- now for the downsides: the lookout is so accessible that MANY hikers will visit and many of them don’t seem to realize that the structure physically cannot hold a lot of people! From 7-9am over 65 hikers jammed onto the tower- with over 30, I’d estimate, jammed into the viewing platform below the top at one point! The structure shook and swayed in a frightening way! Hikers made LOTS of noise- again, this is starting at 7am! Also I saw one man put graffiti on the tower, and many people attempted to access the (private) rented part where we were staying despite signs. We were eager to leave even though we technically still had time left on our reservation. DO NOT reserve on a summer weekend or probably any time that the weather is really good!! Final note: if you need to use the bathroom it’s a trek down the stairs and into the woods.

@SierraB9584562 · Camped on May 28, 2022 at Campsite #1

We had this reservation for Memorial Day weekend Saturday. It was busy when we got there, but we didn’t have as many visitors as I thought we would, but that’s due to not having any views after 5pm the first night until the rest of our stay. Unfortunately we got fogged in. However, before the fog hit, we had the most incredible views which made this lookout one of our favorites. We still had several groups climbing the tower very aggressively which feels very unsteady when you’re sitting in the top. I wish we were able to take the road up to the tower in our vehicle if we have a stay. I felt very uncomfortable parking ours on the highway parking lot. I’ve heard of break ins so I was praying we wouldn’t have any problems during our stay. We made a do not disturb sign, but it looks like others beat us to it, so we were able to hang the sign up for our stay. There are report of people aggressively trying to get into the lookout around 6am so I really didn’t want to be scared awake. I really would like to get another reservation for this lookout, hopefully when there’s 0 fog, but I don’t think I’ll like the crowds that come with it. It’s definitely a give and take situation with this lookout. Yes, the views are incredible, but wow the constant flow of people is very hard to deal with.

@KellyB8439114 · Camped on May 15, 2022 at Campsite #1

Not a very secluded experience here. The views are amazing of course but you have a steady stream of hikers coming up to the observation deck right beneath the catwalk with seemingly no awareness of the renters. We even had someone pound on the trapdoor at 6am the second day here. Kind of scary. Otherwise the cabin is very well stocked with cooking gear, games, a big sturdy bed, and cleaning supplies. I wish the forest service could do something to at least create awareness around respecting the renters because most of the people I talked to seemed surprised we were there and also thought we were renting via Airbnb. Also the bathroom situation is funny but not the best.

@SeasonR1561054 · Camped on May 13, 2022 at Campsite #1

Beautiful. Loved that it was heated. Wonderful views!

@PeterC236 · Camped on Oct 14, 2021 at Campsite #1

The beauty and solitude of this place made an impression on me. But the hike down in the rain was very sketchy.

@StephanieV910 · Camped on Aug 30, 2021 at Campsite #1

Great place to stay, nicely furnished and maintained with books, games, amazing views, heat and two burner stove.

@ElizabethM434 · Camped on Jul 21, 2021 at Campsite #1

Such stunning views! I have wanted to stay in the Lookout for years and was so excited and grateful to have gotten to do this! Be sure to plan some hikes around the area! You get a bird's eye view of Bridal Falls, so it could be a cool experience if you do the Lake Serene/ Bridal Falls hike pre/post lookout stay to get such a unique experience. Do a little research beforehand so you know what mountains you are viewing, along with wildlife (especially the birds!)

@TaylorT638 · Camped on Oct 17, 2019 at Campsite #1

Fantastic lookout with amazing views. Worth the hike up to the tower. Would highly recommend!

@DavidR568 · Camped on Oct 16, 2019 at Campsite #1

Beautiful view and hikes around the area. Be sure to bring water. Since there is no water source in the area.

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