On the land of the Absaroka Range and along the Beartooth Highway in northwestern Wyoming sits the Clay Butte Fire Lookout, a majestic tower that overlooks the mountain ranges of Montana and the breathtaking panorama of the surrounding valleys and meadows. The lookout was originally used by the United States Forest Service to identify and manage forest fires before modern fire detection measures existed. The local scenery offers breathtaking views of the Absaroka Mountains, the plateaus of the Beartooth Mountains, and glimpses of the past shown through sedimentary, volcanic, and metamorphic rock. Even evidence of the 1937 Blackwater and 1988 Clover Mist fires can be found in the area.

The Clay Butte Fire Lookout is part of the larger Clarks Fork Ranger District, which is bordered on the north by Montana and east of Yellowstone National Park. Scenic wonders abound within the area, from the high alpine lakes of the Beartooth Range to the volcanic Absaroka Range. According to the United States Forest Service website, “the Clarks Fork Ranger District features the Shoshone’s only wild and scenic river, the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone. This 22.5-mile section of river cuts through the spectacular Clarks Fork Canyon with vertical 2,000-foot cliffs.” Another notable feature of this area is the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway (State Highway 2960 and the Beartooth All-American Road). The Beartooth All-American Road (U.S. Highway 212) is known as one of the highest roads in the country, rising to nearly 11,000 ft. According to the USFS website, “drivers pass high alpine lakes, snow-clad peaks, and deep, rugged glacial valleys. Mountain goats, moose, marmots, pikas, and other wildlife frequent the rugged ridges and alpine meadows.”

According to Forest Service records, construction of the Clay Butte Fire Lookout began around 1942 by CCC crews who were disbanded and reallocated toward war effort. The lookout was later completed by members of the Shoshone National Forest. The lookout tower was originally a three-story building with a square footprint. A ground-level observation room with roof deck was added at southwest corner of the lookout tower in 1962 or 1963. The Clay Butte Fire Lookout was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014 under Criterion A, due to its associations with the early administration of the Shoshone National Forest, and also under Criterion C, because it embodies the architectural style of that period.

The lower level of the lookout has hosted a museum run by the “Friends of the Clay Butte Lookout Tower” to honor the structure’s history. Currently, the lookout’s primary uses consist of storage and exhibit space that the Forest Service and friends groups occasionally open to the public. Interpretive signs and displays inside the building tell the story of this site, the lookout, and the history of fire tracking in U.S. forests. The building also houses two original Osborne Firefinders. Today, the Clay Butte Fire Lookout stands as a mid-century timepiece frequented by tourists and history buffs with a keen eye for a good view. HistoriCorps is scheduled to continue restoration efforts in June, and we invite you to join us for jaw-dropping time in the beautiful Shoshone National Forest. For more information about the Clay Butte Fire Lookout, please visit the Forest’s website here.