Bacon Point Lookout Site
Located on the boundary between the Mt. Baker National Forest and the Ross Lake National Recreational Area, this was a low elevation lookout. Bacon Point Lookout was built in 1934. It was likely a 35 foot high tower although the 1935 panoramics taken from the catwalk say it was 40 feet tall. The cab was an L-4 that was removed or destroyed in 1956. During WWII, the site was used as an Aircraft Warning Service Station, activated on March 21, 1942, deactivated on October 16, 1943. The AWS added one sleeping quarters cabin to the site costing $350. Today, the views are all gone but many relics make for an interesting site. It seems likely that the tower poles were standing until just 10 to 20 years ago.
WillhiteWeb.com: Washington Fire Lookouts
Lookout Elevation: 1,710 feet
Distance: 1.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet
Landowner: National Forest
Take the North Cascades Highway (HWY 20) to Marblemount. Several miles past town, look for a sign for Bacon Creek Road. Take the left onto the dirt road and follow until the first major right turn. The road from this point will continually gets worse. Most should be able to make it to the first switchback to park. You can drive a bit further to one or two parking spots before the road becomes impassable due to washouts.
Access
Follow the old road up using map until leaving the road and ascending easy open forest to the lookout site. The further to the north you take the road, the gentler the forest slope up to the lookout site. On the map, the old phone line is marked going SW from the lookout site. Descending this route is steep but was really fun to follow the phone line as it ran down the ridge, usually on the ground but sometimes high in the air. Presumably, one could continue to try to follow the line down the old trail route to the start of Bacon Creek Road.
Route
The only footing above the ground level was this one....before and after moss removed. Footing was pulled up when tower leg fell to ground.
Bacon Point, in Baker National Forest, on N.F. Land, an existing station reconditioned, to retain for the Forest Service, decomissioned 10/16/43 with sleeping quarter added.
1953 USGS, 1955 version, showing trail up to Bacon Point Lookout
AWS Relay station through Concrete Exchange
AWS observers
AWS
Bacon Point access during AWS
1941 Metsker
1942-1943 Ruth & Estes Kester Collection
Looking North July 20, 1935
Looking Southeast July 20, 1935
Looking Southwest
Yellow dots and line is route taken, yellow with black line is the phone line we followed down to road switchback
AWS map
AWS map with dates
Lookout site looking north in 2019
Lookout site looking south in 2019
One of the legs fallen between two trees
Phone line
Two insulators on the phone line near the switchback
Old drum below the site
Outhouse