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]
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.
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
^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.
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]
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.
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
^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.