This is a list of notable fire lookout towers and stations , including complexes of associated buildings and structures. This includes lookout cabins without towers which are perched high and do not require further elevation to serve for their purpose, and also includes notable lookout trees .
There once were more than 10,000 fire lookout persons [1] staffing more than 5,000 of fire lookout towers or fire lookout stations in the United States alone.[2] Now there are far fewer of both. Also there are a number of fire lookout trees . The U.S. state of Wisconsin decided to close its last 72 operating fire lookout towers in 2016.[3] Despite newer methods like aerial surveillance and cell phones, the U.S. state of Pennsylvania returned its use of fire lookout towers in 2017.[4]
See Category:Fire lookout towers in Australia
Fire stations with lookout towers:
and a number of other fire stations in Australia
Towers alone:
Fire lookout trees:
The National Historic Lookout Register lists most historic, surviving fire towers in the United States. Many of these are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Forest Fire Lookout Association .
Arizona
Atascosa Lookout House , Tubac, AZ , NRHP-listed
Barfoot Lookout Complex , Portal, AZ , NRHP-listed
Bear Mountain Lookout Complex , Mogollon Rim, AZ , NRHP-listed
Big Springs Lookout Tower , Big Springs, AZ , NRHP-listed
Buck Mountain Lookout Tower , Buck Mountain, AZ , NRHP-listed
Deer Springs Lookout Complex , Mogollon Rim, AZ , NRHP-listed
Diamond Point Lookout Cabin , Tonto Village, AZ , NRHP-listed
Dry Park Lookout Cabin and Storage Sheds , Big Springs, AZ , NRHP-listed
Grandview Lookout Tower and Cabin , Twin Lakes, AZ , NRHP-listed
Hyde Mountain Lookout House , Camp Wood, AZ , NRHP-listed
Jacob Lake Lookout Tower , Jacob Lake, AZ , NRHP-listed
Kendrick Lookout Tower and Cabin , Pumpkin Center, AZ , NRHP-listed
Lake Mountain Lookout Complex , McNary, AZ , NRHP-listed
Lee Butte Lookout Tower and Cabin , Happy Jack, AZ , NRHP-listed
Lemmon Rock Lookout House , Tucson, AZ , NRHP-listed
Mingus Lookout Complex , Mingus, AZ , NRHP-listed
Monte Vista Lookout Cabin , Elfrida, AZ , NRHP-listed
Moqui Lookout Cabin , Blue Ridge, AZ , NRHP-listed
Mormon Lake Lookout Cabin , Mormon Lake, AZ , NRHP-listed
Promontory Butte Lookout Complex , Beaver Park, AZ , NRHP-listed
PS Knoll Lookout Complex , Maverick, AZ , NRHP-listed
Silver Peak Lookout Complex , Portal, AZ , NRHP-listed
Volunteer Lookout Cabin , Bellemont, AZ , NRHP-listed
West Peak Lookout Tower , Bonita, AZ , NRHP-listed
Woody Mountain Lookout Tower , Flagstaff, AZ , NRHP-listed
Lookout trees
Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest
Cooper Ridge Lookout Tree , Fredonia, AZ , NRHP-listed
Corral Lake Lookout Tree , Fredonia, AZ , NRHP-listed
Fracas Lookout Tree , Fredonia, AZ , NRHP-listed
Grandview Lookout Tree , Grand Canyon, AZ , NRHP-listed
Hull Tank Lookout Tree , Grand Canyon, AZ , NRHP-listed
Little Mountain Lookout Tree , Fredonia, AZ , NRHP-listed
Summit Mountain Lookout Tree , Williams, AZ , NRHP-listed
Tater Point Lookout Tree , Fredonia, AZ , NRHP-listed
Telephone Hill Lookout Tree , Fredonia, AZ , NRHP-listed
Tipover Lookout Tree , Fredonia, AZ , NRHP-listed
Tusayan Lookout Tree , Tusayan, AZ , NRHP-listed
Arkansas
Look See Tree
Crossroads Fire Tower , Hamburg, AR , NRHP-listed
Sugarloaf Fire Tower Historic District , Calico Rock, AR , NRHP-listed
Tall Peak Fire Tower , Athens, AR , NRHP-listed
Fort Lookout , Camden, AR , NRHP-listed
California
Some are related to the Angeles National Forest Fire Lookout Association . California had a total of 625 fire lookout sites, of those there are 198 remaining lookout towers, and of those there are around 50 staffed. There are 11 lookouts that may be rented in California. Fire Lookouts not only watch for fire, they also record weather conditions and observe animals in some cases.
Alder Ridge Lookout (Eldorado National Forest)
Allen Lookout
American Camp Lookout (Stanislaus National Forest)
Angora Ridge Lookout
Annette Lookout
Antelope Mountain Lookout (Lassen National Forest)
Anthony Peak Lookout (Mendocino National Forest)
Argentine Rock Lookout (Plumas National Forest)
Armstrong Hill Lookout (Eldorado National Forest)
Babbit Peak Lookout (Tahoe National Forest)
Baker Point Lookout (Sequoia National Forest)
Black Butte (Siskiyou County, California)
Bald Mountain
Bald Mountain (Eldorado National Forest)
Bald Mountain (Inyo National Forest)
Bald Mountain (Sequoia National Forest)
Bald Mountain (Sierra National Forest)
Baldy Mountain (Klamath National Forest)
Ball Mountain Lookout (Klamath National Forest)
Baltic Peak Lookout (Eldorado National Forest)
Banner Mountain Lookout
Basalt Hill Lookout
Bear Mountain Lookout
Bear Mountain Lookout
Bear Mountain Lookout
Big Hill Lookout (Eldorado National Forest)
Big Hill Lookout
Black Fox Mountain Lookout (Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
Black Mountain Lookout
Black Mountain Lookout (Plumas National Forest)
Black Mountain Lookout (San Bernardino National Forest)
Black Rock Lookout (Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
Black Ridge Lookout (Lassen National Forest)
Bloomer Hill Lookout (Plumas National Forest)
Blue Mountain Lookout (Modoc National Forest)
Blue Ridge Lookout (Klamath National Forest)
Bolivar Lookout (Klamath National Forest)
Bonanza King Lookout (Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
Boucher Hill Lookout (Palomar Mountain State Park)
Branch Mountain Lookout (Los Padres National Forest)
Breckenridge Lookout (Sequoia National Forest)
Brush Mountain Lookout (Six Rivers National Forest)
Buck Rock Lookout (Sequoia National Forest)
Buckhorn Bally Lookout (Klamath National Forest)
Bully Choop Lookout
Bunker Hill Lookout (Eldorado National Forest)
Burney Mountain Lookout (Lassen National Forest)
Butler Peak Lookout (San Bernardino National Forest)
Cahto Peak Lookout (Mendocino National Forest)
Calandra Lookout
Call Mountain Lookout
Castro Peak Lookout
Chalone Peak Lookout (Pinnacles National Forest)
Chews Ridge Lookout in the Los Padres National Forest in Monterey County, California , NRHP-listed
Colby Mountain Lookout
Cold Spring Lookout
Collins Creek Baldy Lookout
Cone Peak Lookout , in the Los Padres National Forest in Monterey County, California
Copernicus Peak Lookout
Cotton Pass Fire Station and Lookout
Crane Flat Fire Lookout , Aspen Valley, CA , NRHP-listed
Cuyama Peak Lookout
Deadwood Peak Lookout
Delilah Lookout
Digger Butte Lookout
Dixie Mountain Lookout
Don Landon Lookout
Dow Butte Lookout
Duckwall Mountain Lookout
Duncan Peak Lookout
Duzel Rock Lookout
Dyer Mountain Lookout
Eagle Peak Lookout
Eddy Gulch Lookout
English Peak Lookout
Estelle Mountain Lookout
Fence Meadow Lookout
Figueroa Mountain Lookout
Fowler Peak Lookout
Frazier Mountain Lookout
Fredonyer Peak Lookout
Gardner Lookout
Goat Mountain Lookout
Grasshopper Peak Lookout
Green Mountain Lookout
Grouse Ridge Lookout
Happy Camp Lookout
Harvey Mountain Lookout
Hayden Hill Lookout
Hayfork Bally Lookout
Henness Ridge Fire Lookout (Yosemite National Park)
Herd Peak Lookout
Hi Mountain Lookout
High Glade Lookout
High Point Lookout
Hogback Mountain Lookout
Horse Ridge Lookout
Hot Springs Mountain Lookout
Howell Hill Lookout
Margarita Lookout (Clevland National Forest)
Mount Harkness Fire Lookout , in Lassen Volcanic National Park near Mineral, California , NRHP-listed
Prospect Peak Fire Lookout , in Lassen Volcanic National Park near Mineral, California , NRHP-listed
Sid Ormsbee Lookout , in The Santa Lucia Preserve near Carmel, California
Thompson Peak Lookout (Plumas County)
Wolf Mountain Lookout
Lookout Rentals
Bear Basin Lookout (Six Rivers National Forest)
Black Mountain Lookout (Plumas National Forest)
Calpine Hill Lookout (Tahoe National Forest)
Girard Ridge Fire Lookout (Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
Hirz Mountain Lookout (Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
Little Mount Hoffman (Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
Mccarthy Point Lookout (Lassen National Forest)
Oak Flat (Sequoia National Forest)
Pine Mountain Lookout (Mendocino National Forest)
Post Creek Lookout (Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
Sardine Peak Lookout (Tahoe National Forest)
Colorado
Devils Head Lookout , Sedalia, CO , NRHP-listed
Fairview Peak Lookout (Colorado) , Pitkin, CO
Fremont Lookout Fortification Site , Rangely, CO , NRHP-listed
Lookout Mountain Park , Golden, CO , NRHP-listed
Shadow Mountain Lookout , Grand Lake, CO , NRHP-listed
Twin Sisters Lookout , Estes Park, CO , NRHP-listed
Idaho
Butts Point Creek Fire Lookout
Gardiner Peak Lookout
Salmon Mountain Lookout
Arctic Point Fire Lookout , Big Creek, ID , NRHP-listed
Carey Dome Fire Lookout , Burgdorf, ID , NRHP-listed
Mallard Peak Lookout , Avery, ID , NRHP-listed
Bishop Mountain Lookout , Island Park, ID , NRHP-listed
East Fork Lookout , Clayton, ID , NRHP-listed
Montana
Apgar Fire Lookout , West Glacier, MT , NRHP-listed
Carey Dome Fire Lookout
Clark's Lookout, August 13, 1805 , Dillon, MT , NRHP-listed
Heaven's Peak Fire Lookout , West Glacier, MT , NRHP-listed
Hornet Lookout , Flathead National Forest, MT , NRHP-listed
Huckleberry Fire Lookout , Glacier National Park , NRHP-listed
Jumbo Fire Lookout, Hungry Horse, MT
Loneman Fire Lookout , West Glacier, MT , NRHP-listed
McCart Fire Lookout , Sula, MT , NRHP-listed
Mount Brown Fire Lookout , West Glacier, MT , NRHP-listed
Numa Ridge Fire Lookout , West Glacier, MT , NRHP-listed
Scalplock Mountain Fire Lookout , West Glacier, MT , NRHP-listed
Spotted Bear Fire Lookout, Hungry Horse, MT
Swiftcurrent Fire Lookout , West Glacier, MT , NRHP-listed
New Hampshire
The number of towers has varied over time, and aerial monitoring is also used.[6] The following locations have fire towers as of 2020:[7]
New Mexico
Bearwallow Mountain Lookout Cabins and Shed , Bearwallow Park, NM , NRHP-listed
Black Mountain Lookout Cabin , Black Mountain, NM , NRHP-listed
Bluewater Lookout Complex , Weed, NM , NRHP-listed
Carrisa Lookout Complex , Long Canyon, NM , NRHP-listed
El Caso Lookout Complex , El Caso Lake, NM , NRHP-listed
Glorieta Baldy Lookout Tower , La Cueva, NM , NRHP-listed
Hillsboro Peak Lookout Tower and Cabin , Hillsboro, NM , NRHP-listed
Mangas Mountain Lookout Complex , Mangas, NM , NRHP-listed
Mogollon Baldy Lookout Cabin , Mogollon Baldy Peak, NM , NRHP-listed
Monjeau Lookout , Villa Madonna, NM , NRHP-listed
Reeds Peak Lookout Tower , Reeds Peak, NM , NRHP-listed
Ruidoso Lookout Tower , Ruidoso, NM , NRHP-listed
Weed Lookout Tower , Sacramento, NM , NRHP-listed
Wofford Lookout Complex , Cloudcroft, NM , NRHP-listed
New York
A number of fire lookout tower stations, including many in New York State near the Adirondack Forest Preserve and Catskill Park , have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places .[8] [9] They include:
Adirondack Park
Arab Mountain Fire Observation Station , Piercefield, NY , NRHP-listed
Azure Mountain Fire Observation Station , Waverly, NY , NRHP-listed
Blue Mountain Fire Observation Station , Indian Lake, NY , NRHP-listed
Hadley Mountain Fire Observation Station , Hadley, NY , NRHP-listed
Hurricane Mountain Fire Observation Station , Keene, NY , NRHP-listed
Kane Mountain Fire Observation Station , Caroga, NY , NRHP-listed
Loon Lake Mountain Fire Observation Station , Franklin, NY , NRHP-listed
Lyon Mountain Fire Observation Station
Mount Adams Fire Observation Station , Newcomb, NY , NRHP-listed
Owls Head Mountain Forest Fire Observation Station
Pillsbury Mountain Forest Fire Observation Station , Arietta, NY , NRHP-listed
Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain Fire Observation Station , Chesterfield, NY , NRHP-listed
St. Regis Mountain Fire Observation Station , Santa Clara, NY , NRHP-listed
Snowy Mountain Fire Observation Station , Indian Lake, NY , NRHP-listed
Wakely Mountain Fire Observation Station , Lake Pleasant, NY , NRHP-listed
Catskill Park
Catskill Mountain fire towers
Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Observation Station , Hardenburgh, NY , NRHP-listed
Hunter Mountain Fire Tower , Hunter, NY , NRHP-listed
Mount Tremper Fire Observation Station , Shandaken, NY , NRHP-listed
Red Hill Fire Observation Station , Denning, NY , NRHP-listed
other
Dickinson Hill Fire Tower , Grafton, NY , NRHP-listed
Harlem Fire Watchtower , New York, NY , NRHP-listed
Mt. Beacon Fire Observation Tower , Beacon, NY , NRHP-listed
Sterling Mountain Fire Observation Tower and Observer's Cabin , Greenwood Lake, NY , NRHP-listed
Oregon
Sand Mountain Lookout with the Three Sisters
Carpenter Mountain Lookout
Hager Mountain
Hershberger Mountain Lookout , Prospect, OR , NRHP-listed
Hoodoo Ridge Lookout
Kirkland Lookout Ground House (Guard Station) , Joseph, OR , NRHP-listed
Mt. Stella Lookout , Prospect, OR , NRHP-listed
Pelican Butte
Sand Mountain Lookout
Squaw Peak Lookout , Jacksonville, OR , NRHP-listed
Yamsay Mountain
Waldo Mountain Fire Lookout
Watchman Lookout Station
Watchman Lookout Station No. 68 , Fort Klamath, OR , NRHP-listed
South Dakota
not in category
Harney Peak, now known as Black Elk Peak , rock tower built in 1938 by CCC, last staffed in 1967
Fort Lookout IV , Oacoma, SD , NRHP-listed
Elk Mountain Fire Tower, Hells Canyon District, Black Hills South Dakota-measured as the tallest fire tower in the country-80+feet tall
Bear Mountain Fire Lookout Tower, Pennington Co SD still in service 7166' original tower was built in 1910 of logs, replaced with 30' metal tower in 1939
Custer Peak Fire Lookout, Lawrence Co SD, 6713' original wooden tower built in 1911, replaced in 1935 and replaced with the current rock lookout tower in 1941
Summit Ridge Fire Lookout, 6,082', 67.5' tower, last staffed in 1972
Rankin Ridge Fire Lookout, Wind Cave National Park, replaced the Crow's Nest Peak tower, 5,013'
Mt Coolidge Fire Lookout Custer State Park still in service
Battle Mountain Fire Lookout, Hot Springs, SD, Fall River Co, 4,363', 22' tower
Seth Bullock/Scruton Mt Fire Lookout, Pennington Co, SD, 5,817', wood tower built in 1939, replaced 1975 with metal tower
SD Lookout Towers that no longer exist:
Crook's Tower
Crow's Nest Peak
Signal Hill
Parker Peak
Washington
As of 2022 93 lookouts in Washington State are still in existence, down from a 1950's high of between 660 to 685.[10] [11]
Blue Mountains of Washington
Oregon Butte
Table Rock
Clearwater Lookout
Big Butte
North Cascades center - Hozameen Range of Washington
Monument 83 Peak
Desolation Peak Lookout , Hozameen, WA , NRHP-listed
North Cascades east - Okanogan Range
Aeneas Mountain
Buck Mountain
First Butte
Funk Mountain
Goat Peak
Knowlton Knob
Mebee Pass Lookout
Mount Leecher
Leecher Crow's Nest Lookout Site
Okanogan Post Office Lookout Site
North Twentymile Peak
Slate Peak lookout
North Cascades east - Methow Mountains
North Cascades west - Skagit Range
Winchester Mountain Lookout , Sedro Wooley, WA , NRHP-listed
Copper Mountain Fire Lookout , Newhalem, WA , NRHP-listed
Sourdough Mountain Lookout , Diablo, WA , NRHP-listed
Park Butte Lookout , Sedro Wooley, WA , NRHP-listed
North Cascades south - Glacier Peak area
North Cascades south - Mountain Loop Area
Central Cascades west -Alpine lakes area
Alpine Lookout
Evergreen Mountain Lookout , Skykomish, WA , NRHP-listed
Granite Mountain Lookout
Heybrook Ridge
Thorp Mountain Lookout
Central Cascades east - Chelan, Entiat, Wenatchee Mountains
Badger Mountain Lookout , East Wenatchee, WA , NRHP-listed
Chelan Butte Lookout , Chelan, WA , NRHP-listed
Red Top Mountain lookout
Steliko Lookout
Sugarloaf Peak Lookout , Leavenworth, WA , NRHP-listed
Tyee Mountain Lookout , Entiat, WA , NRHP-listed
Southern Cascades north - Goat Rocks
Southern Cascades north - Mount Rainier Area
Southern Cascades - Crest
Southern Cascades central - Mount Adams area
Southern Cascades south - Columbia Gorge
Satus Peak
Lorena Butte Lookout
Okanogan Highlands and Kettle River Range
Bodie Mountain Lookout 1930s to 1960s
Armstrong Mountain
Bodie Mountain Lookout
Cody Butte
Columbia Mountain
Cornell Butte
Franson Peak
Gold Mountain
Grizzly Mountain Lookout
Keller Butte
Lynx Mountain-Cabin Lookout Site
Johnny George Mountain
Mount Bonaparte
Moses Mountain
Omak Mountain
Strawberry Mountain
Tunk Mountain
Whitestone Ridge
Whitmore Mountain
Whitmore L-4 Cab Lookout Site
Selkirks in Washington
Diamond Peak - Patrol Lookout Site
Lookout Mountain
Indian Mountain
Mount Spokane
Quartz Mountain
Salmo Mountain Lookout
South Baldy Lookout
Sullivan Mountain
Timber Mountain
Tower Mountain
Wellpinit Mountain
lookout trees
Cook Creek Spar Tree, cut down in 1955 due to rot,[12]
Lookout tree constructed in 1918 near Darrington, Washington ; abandoned as a lookout in the 1930s, it can be reached by the Lookout Tree Trail.[13]
Linnekleppen fire lookout (staffed 1908-present day)
Skjellingshovde fire lookout
Haukenesfjellet fire lookout
Rafjellet fire lookout
Mistberget fire lookout
Elgheia fire lookout
Kjerringhøgda fire lookout (built in 1952 and staffed until early 1970s. Cabin removed and tower converted to view point in 2000.)
Furukollen fire lookout
Hornkjølberget fire lookout
Blåenga fire lookout
Trollerudåsen fire lookout
Årkjøltårnet
Garsjøberg-tårnet
Peter L. Steere (July 1987). "National Forest Fire Lookouts in the Southwestern Region. USDA Forest Service" . Zimmermann (1969:5-6) reported that the Forest Service and State Forestry Departments had constructed a total of 5,060 lookout towers by 1953. He noted a steady decrease since that time. His 1967 count indicated that of the towers recorded in 1953 thirty percent were gone. This was partially due to the increased reliance by the Forest Service on aerial patrols for detection. Note the PDF file includes also December 5, 1990 document by Teri A. Cleeland.
"Lookout Tree" (PDF) . Fire Lookouts of the Darrington Area . Darrington Area Business Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2012 .