California · Trail 34E43

Lookout

Lookout Trail is a 4.9 miles trail in Sequoia National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Sequoia National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.

Map

One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.

One end35.4786, -118.3627 · Directions ↗
Other end35.4597, -118.3458 · Directions ↗

The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start.

The trail

Length4.9 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesOpen to at least one motorized use
AccessibilityNot evaluated
Trail numbers34E43
ForestSequoia National Forest (unit 0513)
StatesCalifornia
Detail publishedmanagement level, with uses

Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Lookout Trail40°50°60°70°80°January: 2.51 inches of precipitationFebruary: 3.09 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.10 inches of precipitationApril: 0.87 inches of precipitationMay: 0.84 inches of precipitationJune: 0.09 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.08 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.32 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.11 inches of precipitationOctober: 0.51 inches of precipitationNovember: 0.27 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.03 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 43.1°F averageFebruary: 43.8°F averageMarch: 46.5°F averageApril: 50.3°F averageMay: 57.4°F averageJune: 66.5°F averageJuly: 72.9°F averageAugust: 72.5°F averageSeptember: 67.6°F averageOctober: 58.6°F averageNovember: 50.4°F averageDecember: 42.8°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Loraine 5 NNE, 5 miles from the trail midpoint at 4,235 feet, station USC00045100 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 13 inches a year. The station sits about 3,600 feet lower than the trail midpoint, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed
Mountain bikingAllowed year-round
MotorcycleAllowed year-round
E-bikesAllowed year-round

A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.

Trailheads

The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.

Camping nearby

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Alper

    43 mi from the trail midpoint · 105 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Lookout Trail?

4.9 miles, the sum of the 1 segment the Forest Service records under this name in Sequoia National Forest.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Lookout Trail?

hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes. The trail is open to at least one motorized use.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Where does the Lookout Trail start?

The line begins at 35.4786, -118.3627 and ends at 35.4597, -118.3458. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Lookout Trail in a wilderness area?

No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Where can I camp near the Lookout Trail?

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.

Source: Sequoia National Forest official page

How developed is the Lookout Trail?

Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

How steep and how wide is the Lookout Trail?

The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Lookout Trail?

Sequoia National Forest, Forest Service unit 0513. The trail is in California.

Source: Sequoia National Forest official page

Is there a fire near the Lookout Trail?

1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Alper at 43 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 1 segment named LOOKOUT in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0513. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.