Bearwallow Mountain Lookout Cabins and Shed

Bearwallow Mountain Lookout Cabins and Shed is an architectural ensemble of wooden structures positioned at a strategic elevation in the Gila National Forest. The buildings were constructed to serve as observation posts for monitoring forest conditions across the surrounding landscape.

The complex was built in the 1920s as part of a nationwide program to establish forest fire monitoring stations. The structures represent an important series of observation facilities erected across American forests during that period.

The structures show how forest watchers organized their work and the importance observation held for communities living near the forest. You can see in the buildings how people spent their days monitoring the surrounding landscape from this high point.

Reaching the site involves driving forest service roads through Bearwallow Park near the town of Mogollon in the area. The access route uses unpaved forest roads that may vary in condition depending on the season and recent weather.

The buildings survived the Bear Fire of 2006, a major wildfire that threatened the entire Bearwallow Mountain area. This survival demonstrates the resilience of their original construction and maintenance over the decades.

Location: Catron County

Inception: 1923

GPS coordinates: 33.44949,-108.66809

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:22