Deadman Lookout

Total Miles
14.1

Elevation

3,260.45 ft

Duration

1 Hours

Technical Rating

2

Easy

Best Time

Summer, Fall

Trail Overview

Take the family on this fun drive to a really cool fire lookout tower. You can visit it on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4pm. Ten people can climb the tower at a time. The road to Deadman Lookout is open to licensed vehicles only.

Difficulty

Easy. Gravel with possible muddy spots. Two-wheel-drive passenger cars can usually do it when dry if road damage is not too bad.

History

A wooden tower was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938. The present steel tower was rebuilt in 1961. It is 55' high with a 14' x 14' deck. Rangers in the tower told us when the sun is at the right angle, they've seen cars going up Mt. Evans. On the clearest days, they've seen mountains in Wyoming 110 miles away. The tower is manned by volunteers and small donations are appreciated. To learn more about fire towers across the United States, go to the National Historic Lookout Register at www.nhlr.org.

Technical Rating

2

Status Reports

Victoria Paige
Mar 02, 2024
4x4
Temporarily Closed
The gate to the fire lookout is closed till May but the trail is open to the gate. some snow. Road is clear.
Dustin Bratcher
Dec 30, 2023
4x4
Temporarily Closed
Seasonal Closure
Daniel Valentin
Aug 12, 2023
4x4
Open
Normal
Caleb Wiemer
Jun 19, 2023
4x4
Open
Normal

Access Description

From Fort Collins, take Highway 287 northwest to Livermore and turn left on paved Red Feather Lakes Road 74E. Head west about 24 miles. Just past Red Feather Lakes, turn left off the pavement onto Deadman Road Road, C.R. 86.

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