Shadow Mountain Lookout
National Register of Historic Places

Shadow Mountain Lookout

Grand Lake, Grand County, Colorado
Listed
August 1, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78000279

About this property

The Shadow Mountain Lookout, also known as the Shadow Mountain Patrol Cabin, was built in Rocky Mountain National Park in 1932, to the design of the National Park Service San Francisco Landscape Architecture Division. It was regarded as one of the best National Park Service Rustic buildings in the national park system. It is now the only fire lookout surviving in Rocky Mountain National Park. Three other lookouts, now gone, were located at Twin Sisters Peak, the north fork of the Thompson River and near Long's Peak. The lookout was built by Civilian Conservation Corps labor. Situated at an elevation of 9923 feet, the lookout is a three-story structure, with the first two stories in stone masonry, appearing to grow from a rock outcropping. The frame third story is topped by a pyramidal roof. The structure is near the summit of Shadow Mountain, looking over Grand Lake. The first floor has been used for visitor contact, while the second floor has been used as employee accommodation, usually for a married couple who would keep watch and deal with the public. The last summer season for use was 1978.

Location

Grand Lake, Grand County, Colorado
40.23059, -105.81491

Categories

CONSERVATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Shadow Mountain Lookout

This page lists Shadow Mountain Lookout. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Shadow Mountain Lookout report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Shadow Mountain Trail
Industrial
0.5 mi
Smith-Eslick Cottage Court
Industrial
1.4 mi
Kauffman House
Industrial
1.4 mi
Grand Lake Lodge
Listed
2 mi
East Inlet Trail
Civil War
2.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Shadow Mountain Lookout listed on the National Register?

Shadow Mountain Lookout was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 1, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Shadow Mountain Lookout?

Shadow Mountain Lookout is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Shadow Mountain Lookout?

The period of significance for Shadow Mountain Lookout is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1932.

Can I research the history near Shadow Mountain Lookout?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Shadow Mountain Lookout will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Grand County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Grand County.

Explore GrandCounty ›

More historic places in Colorado

Browse all historic places in Colorado.

View Coloradohistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Colorado history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Coloradohistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Shadow Mountain Lookout will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report