I volunteered with the forest service and stayed in the Red Top Lookout for 2 nights 8/23-25.
Directions: if you put in Red Top Lookout in Google Maps, it drops you a few miles shy of the trailhead/parking lot. Just follow the road signs and it will lead you to the parking lot. In the lot there is a pit toilet and if you drive beyond the parking lot, there is a turn around. At the turn around you will spy the lookout perched on top of the mountain.
Trail: when we got there Friday night, we opted to take the trail to the left, the one that the sign points to for Red Top Lookout. This trail is steep but only last for .5 miles. If you want a more gentle graded hike, follow the sign that says agate beds, the trail point to the right. If you go right, the trail eventually splits into 3 junctions, take the sharp left and it will get you to the lookout, this trail is .65 miles long. In which, you can make this hike into a loop!
Saturday and Sunday, I hiked out to the agate beds (you can see this trail from the fire lookout), I personally did not find and geodes or agate, but we saw plenty of people with shovels and buckets, who did find some pretty gems out there!
At the fire lookout there is a compost toilet, but there is no water up there. the trail is pretty exposed, so bring plenty of water, especially if you have kids!
Saturday, we counted 71 hikers to the lookout. Lots of kids, so a family friendly trail! Dogs are allowed on trail, just not in the lookout. the lookout is staffed with volunteers from June-Oct, 9 AM-6 PM, stop by and say hi! We let people visit inside the lookout and everyone thought it was awesome. There's still an Osborne Fire Finder in there which is awesome to check out!
It gets pretty windy up there,Saturday night we had 30 mph winds come through!
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