0
Pull-thru
USFSMendocino National Forest · California
Pine Mountain Lookout
Overview Rustic Pine Mountain Lookout was constructed in 1933 and used for fire detection until 1942.
Sites1all reservable
Elev.3,743ft
Comf.Apr-Nov8 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Sacramento2h51real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 3,743 ft, Pine Mountain Lookout has a 8-month comfortable window (Apr-Nov). Winter nights average around 31°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 1 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Within about 4 miles: 4 peaks.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and quiet. Softest on shade.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Jul
Apr-Nov
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
98%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
May 12
Last spring frost; first fall frost Nov 2.
58°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Sacramento
128 mi
2h51
02
San Francisco
149 mi
3h19
03
Fresno
329 mi
7h19
04
Los Angeles
588 mi
13h04
05
San Diego
733 mi
16h17
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 10.1 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 1 SITES
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
0
Prime
1
Sites
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Trail segments
3
Peaks
4
Viewpoints
1
Water & Access
To nearest major road
10.1 mi
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.