Little Napa Lookout

Friday, October 24, Joyce, Kendra and I hiked to two lookouts in the Swan Valley. First we hiked to Little Napa Lookout in the Swan River State Forest.  Then we hiked to the Mission Lookout in the Flathead National Forest. Both lookouts were relatively close to one another.

Both hikes were short. 2 miles each round trip for a total of 4 miles.
Napa Lookout had an elevation gain of about 540 ft.

I did not see a restroom / outhouse at this lookout.

Napa Lookout:

Near mile marker 62 on Hwy 83 turn onto Center Loop Road.
Drive on Center Loop road for about 4 miles until to get to an intersection.
Turn left and drive a third of a mile until you get to another intersection.  There is a sign here indicating to turn left for Napa Point Road.
Turn left and drive for a little over a mile until you see a road on your right.
Turn right onto this road and drive for a little more than a tenth of a mile until you see a gated road on your left.  This is the trail head.

Red is the roads were drove in on.
Blue is part of the road (Goat Creek road?) we drove out on. We had missed a turn. We ended up 3 miles further south (mile marker 62) when we got back to Hwy 83.
Purple is where we seen the fire activity sign.
Orange is the trail to Napa lookout.

Trail head

The "trail" is a road.

Lookout with Mission Mountains in the background

The lookout was closed for the year.  Solar panels indicates it is used.   A difference in most other lookouts is that metal sheets are used to cover the windows when not in use instead of wood panels.

I don't know what is in the wooden structure under the lookout.  Most likely supplies.   The metal box is unusual.  Not sure what it is for.  A sign mentioned radio frequencies.

Fall colors

Swan Mountains in the foreground.  Mission Mountains in the background.

Mission Mountains

Mission Mountains (left).  Swan Lake.  Swan Mountains (right)

Mission Mountains