Overnight in a Fire Lookout Tower

uintahiker

uintahiker

Adventure Guru
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Jan 20, 2012
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Anyone ever rent a fire lookout tower for an overnight stay? Recreation.gov lists several that are open for nightly rentals. Mostly in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and California. There are a few in Wyoming, Colorado, and South Dakota as well. It's an intriguing idea to me. Anyone done it?
 
I've never rented one. We've camped out at a couple dilapidated towers around the jackson hole area. I've a couple friends that have done some up in Montana and they loved it. To me it seems kind of like renting a yurt or something like that, only you're definitely going to be on a ridge or summit to get excellent views.
 
I haven't rented a lookout, but have rented a Forest Service cabin during the winter time. You have to walk, ski or snowmobile in. The distance to the one I rented was only about 2 miles on a well packed snowmobile trail. It was very quiet and enjoyable - and the stars at night were amazing.
 
I have never spent the night in a lookout tower, but I did read about one. There is one in Washington State called Three Fingers Lookout. You might have to have a permit to spend the night in it, but it looks like it would be fun to try.
 
I have used the reservation system to rent on in southern Montana one time. It's roof was destroyed over the winter and they pulled my reservation and then gave me a replacement reservation in a cabin not too far away. I have also driven up to a few and that is where I got the idea from.
 
I stayed in one in AZ for the summer....
 
Yes I was and think so...never looked. Humbolt Peak overlooking Horseshoe Lake NE of Phoenix.
 
This is neither here nor there but when I was in Vermont last weekend, one of the summits I crossed had ski trails, ski lifts, and a few small one room buildings. I ran into 2 backpackers up there who stayed overnight in one of the structures. They said that in VT they don't lock the structures in case they are ever needed as an emergency shelters so backpackers just use them. Not sure I like the idea of using something intended for emergency purposes like that, but does the same thing apply over by you guys at like Alta and whatnot?
 
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