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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: 38
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 17.1 miles of The Needles Peak Fire Lookout. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Coyote PeaksN3,276 m14.1 mi
Three RocksNNE3,243 m16.4 mi
North Maggie MountainNW3,119 m14.4 mi
Angora MountainNNE3,108 m10.9 mi
Overlook MountainNNE3,108 m16.7 mi
Quinn PeakNNW3,099 m16.6 mi
Sheep MountainNNW3,061 m15.8 mi
Maggie MountainNW3,046 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 50–80 °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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