Shadow Mountain Lookout

{{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox NRHP | name = Shadow Mountain Lookout | nrhp_type = | image = Shadow Mountain Lookout.jpg | caption = Front of the lookout | nearest_city = Grand Lake, Colorado | coordinates = {{coord|40|13|50|N|105|48|52|W|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = Colorado#USA | area = | built = 1932 | architect = NPS Landscape Architecture Division | added = August 2, 1978 | mpsub = Rocky Mountain National Park MRA (AD) | refnum = 78000279<ref name=nris>{{NRISref|2008a}}</ref> }}

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.<ref name="nrhpinv2">{{Cite journal|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Shadow Mountain Lookout|url={{NRHP url|id=78000279}} |format=pdf|date=August 8, 1977 |author=D. Ferrel Atkins and James Muhn |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref> The lookout was built by Civilian Conservation Corps labor.<ref name=noel1>{{cite book|last=Noel|first=Thomas J.|title=Buildings of Colorado|url=https://archive.org/details/buildingsofcolor0000noel|url-access=registration|year=1997|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=0-19-515247-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/buildingsofcolor0000noel/page/457 457]}}</ref>

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.<ref name=nrhpinv2/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hscl.cr.nps.gov/insidenps/report.asp?STATE=CO&PARK=ROMO&STRUCTURE=&SORT=&RECORDNO=22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521214521/http://www.hscl.cr.nps.gov/insidenps/report.asp?STATE=CO&PARK=ROMO&STRUCTURE=&SORT=&RECORDNO=22|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 21, 2011|date=2008-12-15|work=List of Classified Structures|title=Shadow Mountain Fire Lookout|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Government buildings completed in 1932 Category:Towers completed in 1932 Category:Park buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Colorado Category:National Park Service rustic in Colorado Category:Civilian Conservation Corps in Colorado Category:Buildings and structures in Grand County, Colorado Category:National Register of Historic Places in Rocky Mountain National Park Category:Fire lookout towers in Colorado Category:Fire lookout towers on the National Register of Historic Places Category:National Register of Historic Places in Grand County, Colorado Category:1932 establishments in Colorado