The hike begins at Sierra Buttes Trailhead, and follows the Pacific Crest Trail for a little while before the path to the lookout branches off. It’s a wide and well-traveled trail, but steep the whole way. It traces the main ridgeline of the mountain through meadows and scattered trees. Eventually, the vertical cliffs near the top of the mountain come into view, and you can glimpse some blue lakes in the forested basin below. Continue up steepening switchbacks to go around the backside of some dramatic cliffs. You’ll then reach a metal staircase, which scales the final 150 feet up a rock face to the tower. The interior of the lookout is closed, but the outside platform is accessible and safely guarded with a handrail. It’s an airy perch with phenomenal views.

On a clear day with no smoke in the air, you can easily see 100 miles in all directions. The panorama includes mountains around Lake Tahoe and Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Even if the horizon is hazy, you can enjoy the view into the Yuba River Valley and gaze at the Sardine Lakes far below.

Sources: https://californiathroughmylens.com/sierra-buttes-fire-lookout https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/tahoe/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=55962&actid=50