Fire lookout towers across the country serve a noble cause — to help forest rangers spot wildfires while they’re in their earliest stages. Early detection allows firefighters to move in and contain the fire as quickly as possible, saving beautiful natural areas, property, and even lives. Utah once had several fire lookout towers, but now there’s just one left, and you can tour it!

The Ute Mountain Fire Lookout Tower was the first fire tower with living quarters ever built in Utah, and now, it's the last of its kind in Utah.
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Built in 1937, the tower was a project of the Civilian Conservation Corps, and it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Forest Service/YouTube
Over the decades, the tower has served as a critical lookout for firefighters to be able to spot wildfires in their earliest stages.
Forest Service/YouTube

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It's staffed with Forest Service personnel during Utah's high-risk fire season, from June through September.
Forest Service/YouTube
Rangers live and work here in shifts, keeping an eye on this beautiful forest.
Forest Service/YouTube
From the observation deck of the tower, you can see an area of 360 square miles. This is quite the view!
Forest Service/YouTube
You'll find the Ute Mountain Fire Lookout Tower 2.5 miles west of the Sheep Creek Geological Loop (Forest Road 218). Take the turnoff toward Spirit Lake.
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Learn more about the fire tower in this video from the Forest Service:

Want to get a close-up look at this fire tower? You can tour the lookout on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., during the months of June through September. Tours are free and give you the opportunity to learn about the history of the Ute Mountain Lookout Tower and see how rangers do their work here. Before you visit, call the Ashley National Forest field office to make sure that forest rangers are at the lookout and not out fighting a fire. You can reach the office at 435-789-1181.

Does this place look like somewhere you’d want to check out in person? For more information, visit the U.S. Forest Service’s website.

An eagle’s eye view is a great way to get a unique view of Utah’s beautiful places. Check out this drone footage taken above Moab to see it like never before.

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