Jacob Lake Lookout Tower

Jacob Lake Lookout Tower is a steel fire observation tower in Coconino County that rises 80 feet (24 meters) into the sky with a 7-by-7-foot (2-by-2-meter) metal observation cab at the top. The structure was designed to give watchers a wide view of the surrounding northern Arizona forest and landscape from that elevated vantage point.

This structure was built in 1934 by the U.S. Forest Service using contractors from Kanab as part of a regional wildfire detection network. It marked a shift in fire management when authorities moved from moving patrols on horseback to fixed observation posts stationed across the landscape.

The structure represents the advancement of forest protection methods, transitioning from horseback patrols to permanent observation points in the American Southwest.

The tower sits at an elevation of 8,130 feet and can be reached via Arizona Route 67, roughly 1.2 kilometers south of U.S. Route 89A. Visitors should know that the location is remote, so plan to arrive with proper preparation and allow enough time to explore the area.

The tower still houses its original Osborne Fire Finder equipment, a specialized tool that forest rangers used to pinpoint the exact location of smoke columns in the distance. This device reveals how fire detection worked before modern technology and the skill required to use it effectively.