Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower

Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG — fishing, hiking

Location: LARAMIE, WY, WY

Price: From $80 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (13 reviews)

Season: May through October

Perched atop a forested mountain, Spruce Mountain Fire Lookout Tower offers visitors a unique lodging experience in Medicine Bow National Forest in southcentral Wyoming. The original fire lookout was constructed during the summer of 1938 by workers employed through the New Deal’s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). After thirty years of use, it was replaced with a taller, more structurally sound tower.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): weak signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: AT&T.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/spruce-mtn-fire-lookout-tower to be notified when sites open up.

Unique overnight lodging experience in a historic 55-foot fire lookout tower atop a forested mountain in Medicine Bow National Forest, with excellent reviews (4.4/5 stars) praising memorable stays and great views.

Wildlife alert: Moose, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Golden Eagle, and Broad-tailed Hummingbird present in the area

Insider tips for Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower: Book early — federal campground with only 1 site and seasonal operations Kitchenette and mantle lights available for overnight comfort Firewood available for purchase on-site

Skip Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower if: Need hookups — no electrical or water hookups available. Seeking privacy — single site with minimal separation from neighboring areas. Travel outside May-October — seasonal closure.

Best time to visit Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower: May-October — Official operating season for the campground.

Nearby campgrounds: Rob Roy Campground (Laramie, WY), Keystone Ranger Station (LARAMIE, WY), Lake Owen (Laramie, WY), Pine Campground (Wy) (Laramie, WY).

Cell Phone Coverage at Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower

Cell signal at Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower (LARAMIE, WY): weak overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: AT&T.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG — fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower

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LARAMIE, WY, WY★ 4.6 (13 reviews)From $80/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Perched atop a forested mountain, Spruce Mountain Fire Lookout Tower offers visitors a unique lodging experience in Medicine Bow National Forest in southcentral Wyoming. The original fire lookout was constructed during the summer of 1938 by workers employed through the New Deal’s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). After thirty years of use, it was replaced with a taller, more structurally sound tower.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV60 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesFirewood for Sale
Family & Pets
Electric Hookups

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ Need hookups — no electrical or water hookups available✕ Seeking privacy — single site with minimal separation from neighboring areas✕ Travel outside May-October — seasonal closure

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

federal campground with only 1 site and seasonal operations

Kitchenette and mantle lights available for overnight comfort

Firewood available for purchase on-site

Best: May-October

Official operating season for the campground

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: AT&T.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Moose, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Golden Eagle, and Broad-tailed Hummingbird present in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
307-745-2300· Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG
Getting there →

From Laramie, Wyoming, take Highway 130 west toward Centennial, Wyoming. Turn south on Highway 11 through Albany, Wyoming. Spruce Mountain Fire Lookout Tower is located 7 miles west of Albany on Forest Service Road 500, High clearance vehicles are advised for accessing the Tower. The road (Forest Service Road 500) to this lookout may have logging operations during daylight hours during your stay. Please read and respect the signs posted at the entrance road for further instructions upon entering

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower cost per night?+
Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower costs $80 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower open?+
Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower?+
Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower can accommodate RVs up to 60 feet.
How do I make reservations at Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower?+
Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower is rated weak. Best carrier: AT&T. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower open, and what are check-in times?+
Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Wyoming Game and Fish DepartmentWyoming Office of TourismMBRTB Outdoor Safety and EthicsMBRTB Forest OrdersWyoming Off-Road Vehicle Program
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$80 /night★ 4.6 (13)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower cost per night?+
What season is Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower open?+
Does Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Rob Roy Campground

Laramie, WY

From $20/night

Keystone Ranger Station

LARAMIE, WY

From $150/night

Lake Owen

Laramie, WY

From $20/night

Pine Campground (Wy)

Laramie, WY

From $14/night

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Spruce Mtn Fire Lookout Tower — Medicine Bow-Routt | CamperWatch