Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain Fire Lookout

Easy hike from the road to the tower, beautiful views and comfortable area to hang out in. Had fun with all the board games and very thankful for the heaters.

Easy hike from the road to the tower, beautiful views and comfortable area to hang out in. Had fun with all the board games and very thankful for the heaters.

2nd time visiting the lookout and had an absolutely wonderful time!

2nd time visiting the lookout and had an absolutely wonderful time!

Wonderful place. The fire tower was clean, warm, and well furnished. Excellent 360 views.

Wonderful place. The fire tower was clean, warm, and well furnished. Excellent 360 views.

The good : Location is truly stunning and historic. The turn off is just past the entrance to Echo ski area, on other side of road.

The bad : Downstairs has mice and smelled a bit funky. Upstairs had no power due to someone tripping the breaker (flashlights were provided but don't rely on that). Incinerator toilet is idiosyncratic, takes getting used to. The path to the toilet could be slippery in winter. The toilet uses a sort of paper bag arrangement, and partially burnt pieces of paper were all over the floor of the toilet, which was becoming a mouse nest as a result. Try to get the "paper bag" to drop all the way down in toilet when you "flush" with the pedal before incinerating. If you do that, it's quite effective. There was a broom specifically for the toilet, but nobody had used it recently. Bunks creak loudly every time someone rolls over. Tourists turn up and want a look inside. There is a shooting range not too far away. Road in is more suited to four wheel drive, although going slow in a two wheel drive works. Only water is what you carry in (or snow in winter).

Other : Verizon cellphone coverage came and went.

Overall : If you're OK with the outdoors being, well, the outdoors, this is an excellent trip. I did some cleaning and even though cloud limited the view, I loved it. I'd suggest limiting group size to two and staying upstairs. Consider taking an extra trash bag or two and going out of the way to clean and pack out trash. Keep food sealed and hung up due to mice. Better instructions on how things work might help. Also consider visiting mid week to keep tourism and shooting range activity down.

It really could be fantastic. It's in danger of being loved to death.

Also consider visiting nearby historic Arapaho Springs, built as a campground 1937.

The good : Location is truly stunning and historic. The turn off is just past the entrance to Echo ski area, on other side of road.

The bad : Downstairs has mice and smelled a bit funky. Upstairs had no power due to someone tripping the breaker (flashlights were provided but don't rely on that). Incinerator toilet is idiosyncratic, takes getting used to. The path to the toilet could be slippery in winter. The toilet uses a sort of paper bag arrangement, and partially burnt pieces of paper were all over the floor of the toilet, which was becoming a mouse nest as a result. Try to get the "paper bag" to drop all the way down in toilet when you "flush" with the pedal before incinerating. If you do that, it's quite effective. There was a broom specifically for the toilet, but nobody had used it recently. Bunks creak loudly every time someone rolls over. Tourists turn up and want a look inside. There is a shooting range not too far away. Road in is more suited to four wheel drive, although going slow in a two wheel drive works. Only water is what you carry in (or snow in winter).

Other : Verizon cellphone coverage came and went.

Overall : If you're OK with the outdoors being, well, the outdoors, this is an excellent trip. I did some cleaning and even though cloud limited the view, I loved it. I'd suggest limiting group size to two and staying upstairs. Consider taking an extra trash bag or two and going out of the way to clean and pack out trash. Keep food sealed and hung up due to mice. Better instructions on how things work might help. Also consider visiting mid week to keep tourism and shooting range activity down.

It really could be fantastic. It's in danger of being loved to death.

Also consider visiting nearby historic Arapaho Springs, built as a campground 1937.

As long as you realize that you are going into the outside and may encounter outside things, this is such a beautiful stay. Yes, temperature fluctuates and rodents will rodent. And in Colorado, outside does not always mean alone. Only one hiking group was rude and loud trying to use the fire tower. The rest were respectful. The incinerating toilet is a fire hazard because the rodents are making nests out of toilet paper all around the toilet. We didn’t bring big enough trash bags to hike out all the waste left from previous guests and the electric to the upstairs didn’t work. Who cares. Gorgeous views, storms and clear skies, perfect temperatures, wonderful stay. Absolutely awe-inspiring and we will be back.

Note: there are a couple of times where the trail seems to split, always stay to the right.

As long as you realize that you are going into the outside and may encounter outside things, this is such a beautiful stay. Yes, temperature fluctuates and rodents will rodent. And in Colorado, outside does not always mean alone. Only one hiking group was rude and loud trying to use the fire tower. The rest were respectful. The incinerating toilet is a fire hazard because the rodents are making nests out of toilet paper all around the toilet. We didn’t bring big enough trash bags to hike out all the waste left from previous guests and the electric to the upstairs didn’t work. Who cares. Gorgeous views, storms and clear skies, perfect temperatures, wonderful stay. Absolutely awe-inspiring and we will be back.

Note: there are a couple of times where the trail seems to split, always stay to the right.