Lyons Peak is a small but locally prominent peak just southeast of the town of Jamul (and just south of Lawson Valley, where I live). You can drive all the way around the peak: start at the intersection of State 94 and Lyons Valley Road. Drive south on 94 to the intersection with Honey Springs Road, where you take a left. Drive northeast on Honey Springs Road to the intersection with Lyons Valley Roade, where you take another left. Drive to the intersection with State 94 and you've done it.On Lyons Peak is a fire lookout tower, easily seen from Honey Springs Road. This tower is no longer used, though the Forest Fire Lookout Association would like to change that. From their page on the Lyons Peak lookout:
We wish them good luck with this, both because we'd love to be able to visit the lookout and because this would allow access for UCSD researchers to maintain the cameras on the peak that give us such valuable information during a fire.Lyons Peak has hosted a fire lookout tower since 1913. The original tower was a 5x5 foot telephone booth-like structure.
The tower is located on a Cleveland National Forest 'Island' that surrounds the peak.
Access to the peak is currently limited to helicopter or law enforcement escort only due to a road access dispute with a private land owner.
The Forest Fire Lookout Association folks were recently able to make an inspection of the Lyons Peak lookout. There's an interesting report, with photos, at the link.
WHAT A GOOD THING TO HAVE FOR FIRE WATCHING AND SPOTING. I HAVE WORKED IN MANY LOOKOUTS AND THINK THIS ONE WILL BENFIT THE AREA 100%.HOPE A UNDERSTANDING WITH THAT LAND OWNER CAN BE RECHED.. SOUND LIKE FOLKS NEAR HIM NEED TO PUT SOME PRESSURE ON HIM TO ALLOW THEM THE RIGHT TO GET UP TO THIS LOOKOUT.. I WILL BE JOINING IN ON THE FIGHT FOR THIS LOOKOUT. I WILL OFFER TO REPAIR IT AND STAFF IT FOR FREE FOR THEM.. FOLKS THIS IS A GOOD THING FOR THE AREA. SHOOTER3BROVO@YAHOO.COM
ReplyDeleteFYI THERE ARE SEVERAL PROPERTY OWNERS OBJECTING TO THE UNREGULATED USE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY WITH NO CONCERN GIVEN TO SAFTY ISSUES THAT CONFRONT RESIDENTS ON A DAILY BASES
ReplyDeleteALSO 1985 WAS THE LAST YEAR THAT THE TOWER WAS MANNED DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY, FIRES WERE BEING REPORTED FROM OTHER LOCATIONS AND THE TOWER WAS NOT SEEING THEM. CURRENTLY THERE ARE FOUR CAMARAS ARE LOCATED ON ONE OF THE RADIO TOWERS WHICH CAN AND ARE DOING A BETTER JOB THEN ANY MAN COULD POSSIBLY DO. WHY AFTER 29 YEARS OF NOT MANNING THE TOWER IS THERE SUCH A ISSUE ABOUT IT NOW? THERE ARE MANY UNDERLYING ISSUES INVOLVING GOV AGENCYS AND THEIR IDEAS OF HOW PRIVATE PROPERTY SHOULD BE USED TO THEIR BENIFIT. ATTENTION NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE FACT THAT ACCESS HAS BEEN GRANTED TO THE PUBLIC LANDS, BY DEED OF EASEMENT GRANTED IN 1979 THOSE OF YOU THAT THINK YOU KNOW ALL THE FACTS REGUARDING THAT WHICH INSN'T YOURS MY WANT TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER.
Good info thanks. Just wish hikers were allowed up the old road, although I do realize what a pain that would be for home owners, Maybe someday we can workout something that works for all concerned.
DeleteWho can I talk to about getting access to the peak? I would like to install equipment there to help bolster internet in the area. I'd gladly talk with the landowner who controls the road if he can reach out to me? 619-304-7112 My name is Norman, ask for me.
Deletewith the cameras that are on lyons peak why is there a need to man the tower
ReplyDeleteWhen the foresty department reliquished rights to the property lease back in the 70's the land should have been returned to the original private property owners. All government towers and equipment that are there today are now located on private property. No easement has ever been granted.
ReplyDeleteBULLS**T!
DeleteNo. it's not bull. I have seen the documents with my own eyes. The land was leased to the state on a contingency basis. That being the manned lookout tower. Once the tower was abandoned, rights were supposed to revert to the owner.
Deleteso hiking this mountain is still off limits?? I know people have done it but it's risky. Tried finding the brush trail from the south approach. didn't see anything that looked navigable. Tempted to just go around the gate like some hikers have done in the past. No really wanting to get shot by the old troll that owns the easement though.
ReplyDeleteWell, Susan, I don't really know - we moved to Utah a little over two years ago, and I've lost track of the status of that thing...
ReplyDeleteI last summited this peak in December 2007, after the fire had cleared brush away from it. I went up Bratton Valley Road to the base of the peak and went up that way. I repeated that route in 2009 and went up to the rock face on the east side, but did not make the summit that day. It's overdue that I go up there again.
ReplyDeleteHave you been back up?
DeleteDid you make it back to the summit?
DeleteMe and my family live near the peak and we decided to hike it up from the East side just yesterday. I had my dad, step mom and twin brother with me. There was quite a bit of brush that we had to push through, and higher up there were some steep rocks.We had planned to reach the summit originally, but my stepmom turned around, then my dad and brother did too.even though I was told not to go all the way up, I was the only one who had reached the summit, and climbed up the old lookout tower. The view was breathtaking, though hazy. I could see just about all of San Diego, including downtown,mount migel, some distant hills in the southeast (50+ miles away) and Mt. Laguna quite well.
ReplyDeleteShotgun dude is still on the watch 🫣
ReplyDeleteBack in the 60's and early part of the of the 70's, my Nana was working that Fire tower. My 2 brothers and I have been up there with her. People called her "Andy" Her last name was Anderson. Have very special memories. There use to be a house up there with the Tower and an outhouse. When big fire went through, in 70 or 71. I'm from Chula Vista, it burned the house down and brought her a more updated outhouse. She lost everything. She lived with us, and lived in the tower during fire season.
ReplyDeleteI so not think the property owners own the right to the fire road to a nountain used to pretect the public. Out of 1000 pearks this would be the only one i ever heard of that does that. Its an easement.
ReplyDelete