2 min
Overview
The summit of Boucher Hill (pronounced booker) offers a panoramic view of most of San Diego County and a fair amount of Riverside and Orange County. These stunning views have a practical function in addition to an aesthetic one, as the State Park and National Forest Service conjointly operate the Boucher Hill Lookout Tower, which returned to service in 2012 after refurbishment. And if the spectacular views were not enough, the ascent up the hill passes through a grove of black oaks whose leaves turn gold during Autumn, making this loop hike an excellent option for some SoCal leaf peeping. Boucher Hill sunrise Given Boucher Hill’s advantageous location, there has been a lookout tower in operation at the summit since 1921. The current tower is the third tower to be built on this spot, as the previous two were torn down and rebuilt. The current tower nearly burnt down during the 2007 Poomacha Fire, until a State Park worker managed to save the structure. The tower had gone out of service during the 80’s as various agencies responsible for preventing fire determined that satellites could more accurately spot fires. However, as satellites are not always where you need them when you need them, the Forest Service eventually re-learned that the most effective way to spot a fire is with human eyes, which can actively scan the horizon all day long during fire season (May to December). Boucher Hill Lookout Tower The tower is now open and staffed by volunteers from the San Diego Forest Fire Lookout Association. The Association also staff the nearby High Point Lookout Tower, and between the two locations, volunteers are able to monitor the terrain within a vast radius. According to one fire lookout volunteer whom I met on an initial trip to the Boucher Hill Lookout, a lookout once spotted a fire burning as far away as Santa Barbara County. Volunteers are happy to give visitors a tour, provided they aren’t actively reporting a fire or working during Santa Ana wind conditions. Black oaks on the Boucher Hill Trail This loop t
Trail Stats
5.8 km
243 m
1666 m
1459 m
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