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The Needles Peak Fire Lookout

The Needles Peak Fire Lookout from directly overhead

The Needles Peak Fire Lookout is a historic site in California, at a modelled elevation of 2,508 m. Coyote Peaks stands 3,276 m to the north, 14 miles off. The nearest named place is The Magician, a peak less than a tenth of a mile away.

Burned out ruin of fire lookout 382

The story

mountain in Tulare County, California, United States

Wikidata Q7753361, matched on coordinates and name (71 m apart).

What the record says

Built
1938

What to expect

Operated by
USFS/Buck Rock Foundation
Step-free access
No

How to reach it

Coordinates36.10958, -118.48466

Named places within 25 miles

Peaks
  • The Magician: 0.0 mi
  • Djin: 0.2 mi
  • The Charlatan: 0.2 mi
  • The Sorcerer: 0.2 mi
  • The Wizard: 0.2 mi
Springs: 44
Waterfalls: 9
Attractions: 6
  • Cabin 242: 9.8 mi
  • Cabin 236: 9.8 mi
  • Cabin 240: 9.8 mi
  • Cabin 234: 9.9 mi
  • R-Ranch Adult Building: 9.9 mi
Parks: 6
Historic sites: 4
Cliffs: 2
Picnic sites: 2
  • Sunset Point Picnic Area: 14.5 mi
  • Old Mountain Home Picnic Area: 14.6 mi
Natural arches: 2
  • Natural Bridge: 18.3 mi
  • Natural Arch: 18.3 mi
Nature reserves: 1
  • McCarthy Blue Oak Ranch Preserve: 19.0 mi
Museums: 1

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 17.0 miles of The Needles Peak Fire Lookout. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Coyote PeaksN 8°3,276 m14.1 mi
Three RocksNNE 31°3,243 m16.4 mi
North Maggie MountainNW 324°3,119 m14.4 mi
Angora MountainNNE 11°3,108.4 m10.9 mi
Overlook MountainNNE 22°3,108 m16.7 mi
Quinn PeakNNW 340°3,098.5 m16.6 mi
Sheep MountainNNW 330°3,061 m15.8 mi
Maggie MountainNW 325°3,046 m13.0 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox06:5818:3219:06
June solstice05:3819:3720:15
September equinox06:4318:1818:52
December solstice07:0216:0416:44

Local time (America/Los_Angeles).

Climate normals

Months averaging 5080 °F: Mar–Jun, Aug–Nov.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F464852566473818074645246
Precip in2.32.41.70.70.40.10.10.10.20.61.41.9

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Kern River PH 3, 23 mi away.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap element node/4360787690

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