Perched atop the edge of a rocky cliff in the Umpqua National Forest, Acker Rock Lookout offers visitors a unique lodging experience with spectacular panoramic views of the South Umpqua watershed in southwest Oregon.

The panorama includes landmarks on the Rogue-Umpqua Divide; on a clear day you can see mountains on the Willamette, Rogue, and Deschutes River watersheds. The rock formation on which the lookout building sits is itself a magnificent feature. Sheer cliffs drop off for several hundred feet on the west and south sides. Before the advent of airplane surveillance for fire detection, there were more than a dozen lookouts on the Tiller Ranger District. Today Acker Rock and Pickett Butte are the only remaining lookouts on the District. Visitors should keep in mind everything must be packed in via a moderately steep 0.4-mile hike along a forested trail.

The 12-foot by 12-foot, one-room lookout is furnished with a single bed with a small table and chair, and is equipped with a propane heater, lanterns, cooking stove with oven and a refrigerator (propane is provided). A composting toilet is located at the lookout site. There is no water at the site, so visitors must bring plenty for drinking, cooking, and washing. Potable water is available at a spigot in front of the Tiller Ranger Station office. Guests must supply their own food, cooking utensils, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, towels, dish soap, matches, cooking gear, toilet paper, and garbage bags. Although propane lighting is available, bringing an additional light source is recommended.

Directions

From Canyonville, OR take West 1st Street and turn onto SE 3rd St/OR-227. Continue to follow OR-227 approximately 23 miles until you reach Tiller. From Tiller northeast on Douglas County road #46 which becomes South Umpqua Forest Service (FS) Road #28 for 18.5 miles to Buckeye Creek FS Road #29. Follow FS Road #29 for 7 miles to the junction with FS Road #2838. Turn left (north) onto FS Road #2838 for 1.5 miles to the FS #2838-950. Follow the FS #2838-950 for 1.5 miles to the trailhead. The Acker Rock Trail #1585 is a .4 mile, and requires a moderate to steep hike to reach the lookout. The FS #2828-950 road is closed with a locked gate. Please check with Ranger Station to ensure the lookout is open. This site is closed to recreation use from January 1 through June 30.

Reservations through www.recreation.gov