Buck Rock – Hume, California - Atlas Obscura
What's near me?

Buck Rock

Hume, California

This hidden fire lookout offers spectacular views of Sequoia National Park. 

View all photos
The beginning of the climb. LV2BATC (Atlas Obscura User)
The "home stretch." LV2BATC (Atlas Obscura User)
25
173
Top Places in California
The Bone Room
Albany, California
Lookout Mountain Airforce Station
Los Angeles, California
The Dominator Shipwreck
Palos Verdes Estates, California
 See All
This entry is a stub
Help improve Atlas Obscura by expanding Buck Rock with additional information or photos.

Do you like off-roading? Do you like to hike questionable flights of stairs to get to the ultimate 8,500-foot panoramic view of Sequoia National Park? If you do, then Buck Rock Fire Lookout is for you!

Buck Rock Fire Lookout is a hidden gem among an already impressive backdrop. It’s perched 8,502 feet above Sequoia National Park, with amazing views of The Great Western Divide. It is occupied seven days a week by Forest Service personnel so they are able to look for smoke and fire throughout the park. There are 172 steps that you must ascend in order to get to the top, and let’s just say, that’s quite the adventure in itself!

Know Before You Go

Buck Rock is free and open to the public, you just have to find your way there. Your journey starts on Forest Route 13S04, and you will be wondering if you made a wrong turn. Don't worry, keep driving, and after about 2 miles (as you are testing the suspension on your car) you will see your destination in the distance. Low profile cars should not attempt this road.

Atlas Obscura Trips

Art of Joshua Tree and the Mojave

Join us as we venture deep into the High Desert, glimpsing massive sculptures, fluorescent painted mountains, and revitalizing domes along the way.
Book Now
hiking national parks parks
Community Contributors
LV2BATC
Added By
LV2BATC
Edit this listing
Make an Edit Add Photos
Nearby
General Sherman
12.34 miles
Tharp’s Log
13.86 miles
Moro Rock
14.35 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Sequoia National Park, California

General Sherman

Quite simply the largest tree in the world (by volume).
Three Rivers, California

Tharp’s Log

A 19th-century cabin built into a hollowed-out Sequoia tree.
Three Rivers, California

Moro Rock

Four hundred granite steps were built into this massive rock by the National Park Service.
Three Rivers, California

Glowing Millipedes of Sequoia National Park

These millipedes glow not out of attraction, but as a not-too-subtle warning.
Related Places
Cropani, Italy

Bosco Magnano Waterfall

The pristine waters crossing this forest form a hidden waterfall among the dense vegetation.
England

Stanage Edge

This iconic Peak District ridge was once one of the busiest roads in medieval Britain.
Buxton, England

Chee Dale Stepping Stones

These unique stepping stones hug a river's edge to take hikers on a journey through a limestone gorge.
Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico

Cerro de las Campanas (Hill of Bells)

When struck, the strange stones in this park ring like bells.