We set off early in the morning, before it got too hot or too crowded in the Pikes National Forest area. The hike up Devil's Head is a good one and the trailhead begins at the Devil's Head campground parking lot. The trail to the tower is 1.4 miles and has an elevation gain of 940 feet. Hiking time up to the tower is from 45-90 minutes, depending on the pace. Along the way there are several rest stops with benches and tables but the boys preferred the rocks and boulders which makes for excellent viewing.
We got to the base of the tower which is an open area of grass with huge rocks on either side. The kids spent about an hour climbing the rocks and finding tunnels and caves which made me nervous - you never know what is hiding in those nooks and crannies!
The original fire lookout structure was built in 1912. The location was chosen because of the 360 panoramic view it offers of the Pike National Forest. The tower was reconstructed in 1951 with the help of 100 men and 72 mules of the 973rd Construction Battalion from Fort Carson. Devil's Head remains as the last of the 11 original Front Range lookout towers.
It was a great workout and Zulu enjoyed it immensely. She didn't make it to the top of the lookout with us and we tied her (much to her horror) to a tree while we made our way up the stairs to the lookout tower. We all slept really well after that great day of exercise and fresh mountain air!
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