Little Mt. Hoffman Lookout puts you in a 1920s fire lookout cabin on the rim of Medicine Lake Highland's caldera, 7,309 feet up with panoramic views of Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen, and southern Oregon. This isn't camping — it's renting a piece of Forest Service history that still gets pressed into duty during extreme fire danger.
Campground Details
- ⛺Type
- Developed
- 💵Fee per Night
- $75
- 📋Reservations
- Reservation Required
- 🏔️Elevation
- 7,309 ft
- 📍GPS
- 41.57861, -121.65972
- 🌤️Best Seasons
- summer, fall
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- Yes
- 📞Phone
- 530-964-2184
- 🗺️Address
- CA
Amenities
The Lookout
The 14x14 wooden cabin sits directly on the ground with a deck wrapping around and front steps leading to the entrance. Inside you'll find two cots, a wood stove, dining table, storage cabinets, and basic cleaning gear. Outside there's a barbecue pit, picnic table, and a separate vault toilet building. The setup accommodates four people maximum.
This is bring-everything camping. No water, no electricity, no cooking facilities, no bedding. Your supply list includes water for drinking and cooking, firewood, all food and cooking gear, linens, flashlights, batteries, toilet paper, and garbage bags to pack everything out. Portable gas stoves are allowed with a California campfire permit.
The Setting
You're perched on a cinder cone overlooking Medicine Lake Highland, California's largest identified volcano. The caldera stretches 15 miles east to west and 25 miles north to south, with Medicine Lake partially filling the basin below. The views take in Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen, Mt. McLoughlin, the Tulelake Basin to the north, Fall River Valley to the east, and the volcanic highlands spreading south.
The Forest Service built this lookout in the 1920s and used it regularly until 1978. It's one of the few remaining historic lookouts in Shasta-Trinity National Forest and eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
What to Know
The final four miles are unpaved and rough on RVs or cars pulling trailers. Reservations are required, and you'll need your confirmation and lock combination to get in. A $10 service fee applies to changes or cancellations.
Medicine Lake offers a day-use area with swimming beach and boat dock a short drive away. The surrounding hills, clearings, and caves provide hiking and exploration options for those wanting to leave the lookout's commanding perch.