This trail use to be the southern end of Beaver Lake Trail #783 and is seemingly reverting back to a user trail.  The trail, which starts at the Mountain Loop Highway, descends down a path through mixed forest. Off in the distance you will see an ancient cedar snag standing like a giant guardian in the forest.

In 1916 this huge Western Red Cedar tree was made into a fire lookout.  A crows nest was constructed on the top and spikes were driven into the side of the tree so it could easily be climbed.  During fire season this tree was utilized daily to look for signs of fire. If smoke was spotted the ranger on duty would report this to the Sauk River Guard Station which was just beyond this point. The only way to get supplies into the area was by pack train. When Sauk River Timber Company put the railroad through in 1926, supplies arrived by train.  In the 1930s the Lookout Tree fire lookout was abandoned.

On the opposite side of the trail is another magnificent cedar tree seemingly just as huge. They stand together like twin sentinels at a gateway taking you to a very special place.  Among such giants one can feel the sense of antiquity  and imagine the years that unfolded between the seedlings and their maturity.

Continuing past these two amazing trees the trail heads toward the Sauk River.  The forest becomes more deciduous and open along the trail with a nice array of wildflowers such as Trillium, Western Bleeding Heart and Spring Beauty.  At 1 mile the trail comes to an end at the river where it was washed out in 1995.  If you look downstream you can see the the remains of an old trestle belonging to the Sauk River Lumber Company railroad.  Formerly this portion of the trail, by way of the old railroad grade, connected to Beaver Lake Trail #783.

Views From Lookout Tree Trail