[4] It was established under the direction of British colonists in 1884 as a place of observation for tin mining activity and as a retreat for the English people who were based in nearby Larut and Taiping.

After a 1997 proposal to redevelop Bukit Larut with additional tourism facilities was opposed by the public, the government of Perak chose instead to renovate the old colonial-era bungalows and rest houses.

Bukit Larut is the location for the annual North Face Malaysia Mountain Trail Festival, which is a qualifier event for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB).

The history of Bukit Larut dates to the Larut Wars which occurred in 1861 between Chinese underground societies Han San and Ghee Hin over tin mine control in Klian Pauh (predecessor to Taiping), leading to British intervention into Taiping and later The Pangkor Treaty of 1874 which allowed the British to administer Perak.

However, due to opposition by residents and some non-governmental organizations in addition to political pressures,[9] the redevelopment plan was cancelled on July 20, 1997, and focus shifted to renovating the old colonial-era bungalows and rest houses at a cost of RM 2 million.

At the same time, the Malaysian Public Works Department revealed that the road on Bukit Larut could not be widened further.

[10] Later on September 23, 2018, a group known as the "Taiping, Larut, Matang dan Selama Nature Lovers Group" opposed the proposed construction of a cable car in Bukit Larut after discussions between North Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and several construction companies that took place in early September, saying that the construction of the cable car would overwhelm the tourism system in Bukit Larut and would also potentially erode the biodiversity in that area.

[12] Perak tourism committee chairman Loh Sze Yee announced repairs to the hill structure would cost RM8 million and be completed by 2025.

As of 1997, the IUCN Red List classified two plants, Dendrobium aegle and Liparis furcate, as vulnerable due to over-exploitation that could lead to potential extinction in the future.

[22] Willemsella, a grasshopper under Acrididae and Hemiacridinae family which was not found in Peninsular Malaysia for many decades after 1934 has been observed in Bukit Larut since 2012 and suggests the widespread availability of this species following its rediscovery from Fraser’s Hill.

Due to the steep and narrow nature of the road, access is restricted to four-wheel drive vehicles and foot travel.

[26] The economy of Bukit Larut is limited to tourism and hospitality, with accommodation services providing the main source of income.

There are several workers who work in the public sector in Bukit Larut such as gardeners and drivers for district officers.

Historically, Bukit Larut had coffee and tea plantations on an experimental basis, but these operation were discontinued due to the inflexibility of the transportation system.