Hahns Peak Lookout
Colorado’s Most Endangered Places Saved in 2014
At a Glance
Date Built: 1908-1910
Elevation: 10,839’
Restoration Start Date: 2014
Status: Complete 2017
The History
Hahns Peak Lookout was constructed by the Forest Service between 1908-1912 after the gold and silver mines closed. The structure was one of the first officially funded lookouts in Colorado and was part of a larger network of fire lookouts that worked together, locating wildfires in the area. The structure represents the early conservation movement and is a symbol of fire management strategies in the early years of the Forest Service. The site was decommissioned sometime in the late 1940s and early 1950s, indicative of changing technologies in fire management.
The Project
Since its decommissioning, the lookout deteriorated over time due to exposure at high elevations, lack of maintenance, and vandalism. In 2014, Colorado Preservation Inc. listed Hahn’s Peak Lookout as one of Colorado’s Most Endangered Places. From 2014-2017 Historic Routt County Partnered with the USDA Forest Service, Historicorps, and Rocky Mountain Youth Corps to restore the lookout and install modern lightning protection. We are deeply grateful to the community and volunteers who overcame extreme weather and the challenges of historic preservation at nearly 11,000 feet above sea level!
