Description
The Lookout Tower is located in the Four Corners area, roughly fifteen miles north of Mancos, Colorado. The tower was actually in use by the Forest Service from 1940-1970. Since 1992, it has been used as a rental property, operated by the Jersey Jim Foundation.

Heritage Resources
The resources here are the tower itself and the furnishings inside.

The tower is fifty-five feet tall and is constructed out of wood. Inside the tower, actual furnishings are only slightly embellished with a few conveniences for current guests. In the middle of the cabin is the sighting instrument used by the lookout to spot fires. It still works.

A small step stool with glass insulators on its feet is available as a chair for guests, but was originally used as a safety stool for the lookout making a phone call during a lightning storm. The propane stove and lights are original to the structure. Guests can cook on the stove, and use the Forest Service issue plates and cups.

A log book original to the lookout tower details the history of those who staffed the cabin.

The compromise for guest comfort in the cabin is a double bed instead of the original twin bed/cot.

How Visitors Interact with Resources
Visitors can interact with this resource in a very intimate and active way. Starting on March 1st, reservations are taken for the coming year at the Lookout Tower. A maximum two night stay is allowed. However, during this time, guests can imagine what it might have been like to be alone and responsible for sighting possible forest fires. The sighting instrument, the stool and the log book all contribute to this authentic experience.

Visitor Experiences
Visitors to the Lookout Tower have a variety of experiences available to them. The obvious experience is relaxation, as there are only the sounds of the wind and rain and surrounding nature. However, when you consider the seventy-step walk up the tower, there is a definite physical experience as well. Intellectual experiences are also easily attained by reading the log books and surveying the area like the lookout would have. Depending on the guests, the emotional experiences are many. It is a fun and unique experience. It is also an experience that fosters respect for the power of fire, the role of the Forest Service and the people who undertook the isolated duties of working in the tower. Memories of staying at this site are rich for visitors--the popularity of it is testimonial to this. The inspirational/spiritual experiences are dependent upon the guests, however, many guests clearly indicated this was an important religious experience for them to be so surrounded and dwarfed by nature and the work of God.

Benefits
The benefits to the heritage tourism partnership are coming close to being complete at this site. The visitors easily get many benefits from this experience. There is however, little else to take back from the experience other than memories and photographs. T-shirts and hats are available for purchase at the motel which coordinates the guests' arrival and departure, but these are not readily apparent nor are they necessarily in context with the experience visitors have. The host community gets very little benefit from the visit to the site because the site is fifteen miles from the nearest community. However, the host agency, the Forest Service, gets benefits in the way of increased awareness about its role. This could be strengthened with information available at the site about the agency. The option to have a Forest Service ranger visit the cabin to answer questions also goes far to address this component. And the Jersey Jim Foundation gets sustaining revenues from the rental fees which are indeed channeled back into the maintenance and perpetuation of the site. The two areas for potential improvement at this site involve providing more of an economic impact to the hosts and more opportunities for people to take something tangible back as a memory. And there should be more opportunities for people to support the foundation and the Forest Service in its effort to preserve more of these distinctive lodging experiences.

Other Information
This is representative of the Forest Service's Cabin Rental Program. This is a very popular opportunity for people to rent out cabins throughout the Forest Service system. Some are lookout towers, while others are mountain huts, rented out by hikers and back country skiers.

Lessons to be Learned
The important lesson is that people seek and will support distinctive lodging opportunities. The stock motel serves a market to be sure, but the more distinctive the opportunity, the higher the perceived value.

Contact
Jersey Jim Foundation
P.O. Box 1032
Mancos, CO 81328
(970) 533-7060

For More Information
Dolores Ranger District
Forest Service
(970)882-7296

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