List of fire lookout towers

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]

Australia

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:

Canada

  • Botanie Mountain

Romania

United Kingdom

United States

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

Lookout trees

Arkansas

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

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Louisiana

Massachusetts

Michigan

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

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 Jersey

See List of New Jersey Forest Fire Service fire towers

New Mexico

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
Catskill Park
other

North Carolina

Oregon

Sand Mountain Lookout with the Three Sisters

Pennsylvania

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

Tennessee

Utah

Vermont

not in category

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

  • Lookout Mountain

North Cascades west - Skagit Range

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

Southern Cascades north - Goat Rocks

  • Jumpoff Lookout

Southern Cascades north - Mount Rainier Area

Southern Cascades - Crest

Southern Cascades central - Mount Adams area

  • Burley Mountain
  • French Butte Lookout - destroyed
  • Meadow Butte
  • Mount Adams
  • Red Mountain
  • Signal Peak

Southern Cascades south - Columbia Gorge

  • Satus Peak
  • Lorena Butte Lookout

Kitsap Peninsula

  • Kitsap 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

Olympic Mountains

San Juan Islands

  • Mount Constitution

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

Others

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]

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

See also

References

  1. ^ Rory Carroll (August 30, 2016). "'Freaks on the peaks': the lonely lives of the last remaining forest fire lookouts". The Guardian.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Lee Bergquist (December 17, 2015). "End of an era: State to end use of its 72 forest fire towers". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  4. ^ Youker, Youker (2016-12-23). "Pennsylvania Reintroduces Fire Towers". AMC Outdoors. Archived from the original on 2017-02-24.
  5. ^ "Knob Lick Towersite". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  6. ^ NH Fire Lookout Towers - A Short History (1992)
  7. ^ Tower Quest Tri-fold Brochure, 2020
  8. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  9. ^ Fire Observation Stations of New York State Forest Preserve MPS
  10. ^ Hobbs, Steve (July 11, 2016). "Historic Fire Lookouts in Washington". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  11. ^ Lund, Rick (July 30, 2022). "93 fire lookout towers remain in WA. Here's what it's like working and living in one". Seattle Times. Seattle, WA. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  12. ^ "Fire Towers of Northern Minnesota (brochure)" (PDF). Forest Fire Lookout Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  13. ^ "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.