Devils Head Fire Tower

A great family friendly hike! According to the signs 20,000 people visit this trail every year. There are two parking lots, main and overflow so, there is plenty of parking and there are restrooms at the main lot. The hike was fairly easy. We had to stop a few times just to catch our breath since it is mostly up hill, with a few hundred feet of elevation gain. Be sure to stop along the way and climb up on a few of the boulders that provide great views. These occur before you get to the fire tower. There are a lot of steps to get up to the tower so, if you aren't comfortable with height, this is not for you. There are people going up and down on the same small set of metal steps.

Beautiful views 100% worth the hike! There is a lot of elevation gain there, so even though it's not a long hike, it's not easy. Took multiple breaks for water and air. There are a lot of benches for breaks and lots of tree coverage. Once you reach the fire tower, you have to go up a few flights of stairs. I'm very scared of heights, so I was looking down and walking fast, but the stairs are very well built and sturdy. The views are vast and beautiful! This is a well maintained trail with lots of people. There are bathrooms at the parking lot, and the bathrooms at the top are closed. There are no trash cans, so pack it in and pack it out as the rules. There is no fee unless you are camping, and it's well posted for that. The roads are dirt, I'd recommend an all wheel or 4-wheel vehicle. Overall, this was an amazing hike and something I'd recommend to anyone!

Third time to do this trail, first in the summer. A lot more people than previous times. It's a lot of elevation in a short span, so be sure you have water. If you're doing the 1.4 miles up to the ranger's base camp, don't hesitate to go up the flights of red stairs to get to the top of the fire tower. Great views at the top. The one downer were the thousands of swarming ladybugs at the top. Some at the base camp at the bottom of the stairs to the tower, but then get ready. They are literally everywhere.As a tip, make sure phones are put away before you start on the stairs. You may want both hands to hold on, especially as you get closer to the top and the winds pick up. Or on this day, one hand for the rail and the other to swat away the attacking ladybugs. We actually saw a woman climbing around under the stairs to retrieve her lost phone.

How have I not heard of this hike sooner? If you like shorter hikes with 360° views, this is the hike for you. It's an absolute stunner and worth the 866 feet of elevation gain. Make sure the weather is perfect, as the stairs will be closed off due to wind and lightning in the area. As others have said, the 10-mile dirt road is a long drive, but it's not too rough and is super wide for cars to fit more than comfortably if passing. I wanted to experience the sunrise, so it was an early wake-up for me. It took me about 40 minutes at a nonstop pace to get to the top. It's not an easy task to hike this trail, but the views are worth it. I am afraid of heights and was able to get up to the fire tower. The key is to just keep climbing and don't look out or through the stairs. Fortunately, I had the tower all to myself and spent a good amount of time up there taking in the beauty. This may be one of my favorite hikes I've been on, especially being surrounded by trees the entire time.

Reviewing the Devils Head Fire Tower isn't just the building since the building is minimal and you can't go it in, but the trail to go up there and the drive. There was 3 ways to drive up / down. It had recently rained hard. This cause giant and multicolor at the same section ~3 ft wide ruts The drive up hard several spots of the bottom of the car scratching either the dirt rock or big rocks in rock. Jarre Canyon to Rampart road was the best. rampart starts the dirt road and seemed to be the shortest distance on dirt road. Slightly south I believe the next option Jackson Creek road turned into dirt on Forest road 507. This was bad but not the worst.That was option was going south from devils head. It intersected Johnson Creek (the water) and was completely washed out. That added an hour going back up. The hike isn't easy especially with the altitude. The "only 3 miles" is misleading It's mostly uphill. There's several places to spot and see the view though. It took us 1.5 hours to go up and 0.5 hours to get down. We did stop several times. The tower is cool just because it's a tower on top of a mountain on top of an area that needs ~70 red steps to get to. The stairs are sturdy but not specifically wide enough for 2 people. The top had some rocks or a very thin path against a fence to get from the steps to the tower. If it rained that path will be a puddle.

This hike was in my Spring "get the blood pumping" rotation years ago, but it had been almost a decade when we hit the trail yesterday. Closed for some time during the pandemic, this is back for an quick escape from the city.The wide, well-built trail climbs steeply, but not for long. The 1.4 mile route gains 845' and includes sporadic flat stretches, benches for resting, and overlooks that offer a good reason to catch your breath if need be. The trail ends in a pretty meadow that features the live-in caretaker cabin and the beginning of 143 red stairs leading to the lookout.Atop the stairs, it's time to drink in the expansive views, which were better than expected, given the Canadian fire smoke that's been choking the Front Range lately.Overall, this short hike offers a favorable effort to reward ratio, is easily accessible in a passenger car, and affords a chance to see one of the original four Front Range fire lookouts up close in person. Well worth a few hours, I'd say.

I'd admit, I tried to get out of going on this hike the first time around. Luckily for me, my husband got super lost using his GPS the day I wormed out of going and decided to persuade me to go with him the next day. I caved, and I'm glad I did!Pro-Tip #1: Read up on this hike and how to get to the trailhead ahead of time since cellphone reception is spotty up in the mountains and your GPS *might* lead you astray. The drive to the trailhead is a well maintained dirt road, fun for testing out cars meant for off-roading. Upon arrival, there's an overflow parking lot, though we tried our luck with going to the primary parking lot and scored a spot. Restrooms are available at the trail head. What I loved about this hike: + There's over 900 ft of elevation gain over less than a mile and a half in the first half, so it's a slightly challenging hike. It feels like a good workout. For those times when I was catching my breath, I just announced that I wanted to stop and enjoy the view. (This was also true.)+ You go up first, and then down and back out. The hardest part is done in the first half, and the second half is just a breeze. + The beautiful meadow at the base of the fire tower. I could have hung out there all day. + It was a mostly shaded hike, though I would definitely recommend sunscreen and a hat because the sun will get you even with brief exposure. Other Pro-tips: + Watch out for the gravelly path on the way down. It can be slippery.+ Climbing up to the fire tower is not for those afraid of heights. It's a steep climb up, and it's just as steep going back down when you're looking down at the stairs. We'll be keeping this one in mind as one of our regular hikes since it's relatively short and easy to do with a toddler in tow. Plus, I still need to make it all the way up to the fire tower and experience that view!

A favorite spring hike of ours...The trailhead is literally the end of the road and is supported by a newer outhouse and a parking lot that accommodates about 30 cars max with some creative parking arrangements. There are basic portalets at the top of the trail too. The trail is well maintained and gently switches you back and forth across the mountain bringing you to the top of the range. From here you can climb the highest rock to the fire tower ranger station where they feature a series of photos showcasing life in a forest fire watchtower. Our favorite perch is atop one of the rocky knolls just west of the fire tower. There is nothing better than stretching out like a lizard and soaking up some spring sunshine. Much like most easily accessible trails in Colorado, there are hoards of people. This hike attracts lots of families and pets and can be very fun but not a hike for those seeking peace and quiet. The ambient chatter is nonstop at the top and amongst those groups heading down-trail. Blue sky, chirping birds, amazing views and a constant breeze easily make this a worthwhile trip

Such an amazing hike! Was super bummed when we got to the tower and it was closed that day. We climbed some rocks in front of the tower and it was an amazing site.

Eh - I mean while this hike had killer views, it wasn't what I expected! All the reviews online highlight that it's an easy upward hike to the top - considering it's only 2.7 miles round trip - but it is much harder than one would expect. TRAIL : gravel path, leading around the mountain with various stops along the way. There is signage to show halfway, lookout points and map directions. Trail is direct, lush and full of beautiful scenery. It is like STRAIGHT UP though and there were a lot of stairs as well, which I wasn't expecting.PRICE: free to park in the lot - which was full by the time we arrived. Slightly upward, it's only $5 to park and a short walk to the trailhead.VIEWS: killer - and worth it! The lookout is a bit small, but worth it for picture taking, or proposals - which we witnessed first hand! There is also a grassy area, before the lookout, which a lot of people picnicked at! In all reality, I'm not sure I'd do this hike again - as it was a bit more challenging than expected. However, I've heard the sunrise hike is awesome as well as seeing the fall foliage.