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The site details and map below come from the public Recreation.gov record and are accurate. For current dates and to book, go to Recreation.gov.
Only 1 opening in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
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.
The Tower is 14 miles from Highway 184 on a two-wheel drive graveled road subject to adverse weather conditions. At Mancos, Colorado, Highway 184 north, about 1/2 mile turn right on Montezuma County Road 42. County Road turns into Forest Service Road 561. Landmark references: Four miles on FS 561 is Transfer Campground. Seven miles on FS 561 is Aspen Guard Station.
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗



Online reservations for this facility, where offered, are made through Recreation.gov. Campsite Sniper has also detected 1 site opening here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
Campsite Sniper does not currently hold availability data for Jersey Jim Fire Tower, so there is nothing to date here. That is a gap in coverage — it does not mean the facility is full or closed. Check Recreation.gov for current dates.
Campsite Sniper detected 1 site-date opening here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Lakefront, hookups, your RV length, weekends only - set it as picky as you want.
We run paced availability checks for Jersey Jim Fire Tower. One watch covers every matching site.
When a match opens, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.