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National Forest

Photo: USDA Forest ServicePublic domainRecreation.gov

Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain Fire Lookout

Arapaho National Forest · Idaho Springs, CO

Verify with the local Forest Service ranger district

Forest Service campgrounds vary by district. Fire restrictions, road conditions, and operating dates are set locally and change seasonally. Call the ranger district to confirm.

Directions

1

Total Sites

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0 Reviews

1 Tent

Official sources & verification

Managed by US Forest Service

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Source of truth

Managing agency

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We display cached information from agency feeds. Hours, fees, permits, closures, fire restrictions, and conditions change without notice. Outdoors is not the permitting authority. Confirm current conditions for this campground using the links above before you go — you are responsible for compliance. Last verified by us: Jul 10, 2026. Our copy is more than a month old — please reconfirm with the agency before relying on it.Spot an error in our data?

Live availability

via Recreation.gov
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Availability is a recent snapshot, not a live hold — you always complete the booking on recreation.gov.

About

Overview The Squaw Mountain Lookout is located directly off of Colorado Highway 103 west of Bergen Park and sits at the summit of Squaw Mountain, which is an active communication tower site in Clear Creek County. In addition to being an active communication site, the Squaw Mountain area is a popular dispersed recreation use area with hiking, recreational shooting, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and camping. The lookout is a unique structure constructed of native granite which is situated at over 11,000 feet elevation and was built in the 1940s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The cab measures 14 feet by 14 feet and is completely lined by windows on each side and surrounded by a catwalk, all of which sit on top of a one story stone base. Recreation Hiking, wildlife viewing, scenic driving, picnicking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing are all easily accessible while staying at the lookout. Facilities The lookout contains an electric stove, refrigerator, and heat; beds; table and chairs; cookware and dishes; and an exterior incinerating toilet. Please be aware that visitors are expected to clean and maintain the incinerating toilet to ensure proper operation of the unit. The lookout can accommodate four people per night. Guests will need to bring their own water for drinking, cooking and cleaning purposes, as well as their own sleeping bags/bedding. This is a pack it in, pack it out facility; guests will need to carry out all trash and clean the facility prior to leaving. During the winter months, the facilities will be cold. In the lookout, there are two small wall heaters, and one space heater. However, with the weather conditions, it’s not always possible for them to keep the place consistently warm. At 11,000 feet it can also be extremely windy. Please come prepared for the extreme winter weather conditions that can happen during your stay. Natural Features Besides offering the unique experience of staying in a fire lookout, Squaw Mountain Lookout will provide visitors outstanding panoramic views of the Great Plains, Denver, Mount Evans, Pikes Peak, Longs Peak and other snow-capped peaks. Nearby Attractions Mount Evans Recreation Area, Mount Evans Wilderness Area

Reviews

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How busy it gets

Recreation.gov
Well reviewed4.5

84 camper reviews on Recreation.gov

Amenities

Picnic Tables

Cell reception

Camper reports · checked Sep 29, 2026

Some Coverage

Average 2.4 of 4 bars · 70 reports across 3 carriers

Phone calls may occasionally drop; text messages may be delayed. Data service may be unusable. Drop-outs are common and it may be necessary to search for signal. Social media likely unusable.

  • Verizon

    Some Coverage

    2.2/4

    39 reports

  • AT&T

    Good Coverage

    3.1/4

    17 reports

  • T-Mobile

    Some Coverage

    2.1/4

    14 reports

Reported by campers on Recreation.gov, not measured by us. Reception varies by handset, weather, and where you stand in the campground. Recreation.gov

Campground Rules

  • No campfires allowed

Reservations

This campground accepts reservations. Book early for popular dates.

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Individual Sites (1)

In this park

Trails at Arapaho National Forest

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Within ~30 miles

Trails near Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain Fire Lookout

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Hunt context

Hunting unit around this campground

During hunting seasons, wear blaze orange and check regulations — see the Colorado hunting page

Nearby Campgrounds

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