USDA Forest Service · Colorado
Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain Fire Lookout
USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Season
- Year-round
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 11,434 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · Verizon weak · AT&T good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
- Nearest town
- Idaho Springs
- Address
- PO Box 3307, Idaho Springs, CO, 80452
- Phone
- 303-567-4382
- Activities
- Camping
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
The Mestaa’ėhehe (pronounced mess-taw-HAY) Mountain Fire Lookout is located directly off of Colorado Highway 103 west of Bergen Park and sits at the summit of Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain, which is an active communication tower site in Clear Creek County. In addition to being an active communication site, the 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, Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain Lookout will provide visitors outstanding panoramic views of the Great Plains, Denver, Mount Blue Sky, Pikes Peak, Longs Peak and other snow-capped peaks.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (970) 295-6600.
Nearby Attractions
Mount Blue Sky Recreation Area, Mount Evans Wilderness Area
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22° | 1° | -26° | 40° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 23° | 1° | -32° | 43° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 30° | 7° | -14° | 50° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 37° | 12° | -9° | 53° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 46° | 23° | 7° | 63° | 11 of 11 |
| June | 63° | 34° | 25° | 72° | 9 of 11 |
| July | 66° | 40° | 30° | 74° | 1 of 11 |
| August | 63° | 38° | 32° | 70° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 58° | 33° | 4° | 70° | 9 of 11 |
| October | 47° | 23° | -16° | 58° | 10 of 10 |
| November | 35° | 9° | -16° | 51° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 25° | 4° | -12° | 40° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Echo Lake · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi · 18 sites
- West Chicago Creek · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 16 sites
- Chief Hosa Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 10 mi · 45 sites
- Columbine Campground · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi · 47 sites
- Cold Springs - Arapaho Roosevelt NF (CO) · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi · 43 sites
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.