Shadow Mountain Lookout
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Documentary, Educational, Travel, 21-Jul-2025
Hike with us to the only surviving fire lookout structure in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Roundtrip Length - 9.6 miles
Highest Elevation - 9,923 Feet
Elevation Gain - 1,635 feet
Fire suppression in national parks and forests has a long and evolving history, transitioning from early practices of complete suppression to a more nuanced approach that recognizes fire's natural role in ecosystems.
During the early days of Rocky Mountain National park (before planes and drones) rangers used high mountain tops to look for fires. One of those mountain tops was Shadow Mountain and by the 1930’s, it was agreed that a more permanent fire lookout structure was needed there. In 1933 the Shadow Mountain Fire Lookout was completed. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corp (a depression era public work relief program), this lookout operated from 1933-1968 and is the last remaining lookout still standing in Rocky.
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