Oak Flat Lookout

Overview

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.

Recreation

Birdwatching and stargazing from the tower or the mountaintop are popular pastimes.

For guests who wish to visit an operating lookout, Breckenridge Lookout located southeast of Oak Flat is open during the summer months.

Facilities