Devil Mountain LO, 1963

"1963, by Jensen"—Mark Roper

Devil Mountain Lookout, 1963


NPS photo of Devil Mtn.

Administering the National Forests of Colorado: An Assessment of the Architectural and Cultural Significance of Historical Administrative Properties

Historic photo of Devil Mountain Lookout

Devil Mountain Lookout

San Juan National Forest

Elevation: 9922

Status: Removed

Year Built: 1955

Structure Type: 13'x13' steel cab on 30' steel tower

Google Map

Devil Mountain is at the end of FR-626, a long, rough drive requiring high clearance and a creeper gear. Above the outhouse marking the hunter camp about half a mile below the summit are ledges across the road where you may wish to park. There is also a little-used trail up. The tower was built in 1955 to take over lookout duties from Chimney Rock. In the 1990's it was sold to the Jicarilla Apache Nation in New Mexico and moved to a location on their lands, where it is called Atole. The remaining footings on Devil Mountain are used for a radio tower, and some views have been cleared from ground level.

Visit the Former Fire Lookout Site Register entry for Devil Mountain.

See also the introduction to Administering the National Forests of Colorado: An Assessment of the Architectural and Cultural Significance of Historical Administrative Properties and the description of Devil Mountain Lookout in the San Juan National Forest inventory in the same document.