One of the crown jewels of the Southern California lookouts, Butler Peak Lookout overlooks Big Bear Lake and the scenic Angeles-San Bernardino Crest high country just north of the Los Angeles basin. Built by the CCC in 1933, the the cab is a Region 5 Plan BC-301 14’ x 14’ wooden ground house with catwalk is perched on a rock outcrop.

A very popular tourist destination, the tower is staffed by volunteers, and is normally open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, sometimes past Labor Day weather permitting. The normal "open" tower hours are every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Most likely there will be volunteers there to welcome you and share the "tower" experience, but if the tower is closed due to no volunteers to fill the schedule, you can still go up to the tower. Just make the short trek to the tower, climb the stairs, and enjoy the spectacular view from the tower catwalk!

Bruce D. Risher served as the last paid lookout operator in 1981. The tower was taken out of service then reopened with volunteer staffing in 1986.

Butler Peak is again being staffed by Southern California Mountain Foundation volunteers as of August 2022 after a 3 year closure due to storm damage to the access road.