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A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Jersey Jim Fire Tower

Forest Service cabin or lookout in San Juan National Forest, Montezuma County, Colorado. 9,836 feet. 12 miles from Mancos.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service San Juan National Forest
Elevation
9,836 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
1 1 lookout
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Montezuma County

Overview

The Jersey Jim Lookout Tower is named after an early cattleman who ran Jersey cattle in the area. Today, cattle are still grazed in the area under permit. Many nearby trails were established by loggers seeking timber or by miners accessing hard-rock ore deposits in the La Plata (Spanish for silver) Mountains. Hesperus Peak, a sacred mountain to the Navajo Nation, is visible, as is Sleeping Ute Mountain of the Four Corners. The Jersey Jim Lookout Tower was home to U.S. Forest Service fire lookouts from the 1940s to 1970s.

The tower was renovated and saved from demolition in 1991 by the Jersey Jim Foundation, a nonprofit local volunteer organization, which operates and maintains the tower under permit with the San Juan National Forest. Rental income is earmarked for maintenance of the facility to offer this unique experience to the American public.

The Tower cab includes the original furniture and propane heating and lighting. However, there is no electricity or running water. A sink, propane refrigerator, and oven/stove are in the kitchen area. Guests must bring their own supplies. The dining table seats four, and there’s a double bed, and dresser. With windows all round, views are 360 degrees.

In the middle of the cab is the historic fire finder, which early lookouts used to spot fires, and which you can use to orient yourself to surrounding landmarks. In the cabinet below are materials offering information about the tower and the area.

Nearby Attractions

Mesa Verde National Park, Durango to Silverton Railroad, Anazasi Heritage Center, Four Corners Monument

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

The land around Jersey Jim Fire Tower

The ringed pin is this cabin or lookout; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated April 29, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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