Squaw Mountain was renamed Mestaa’Ėhehe Mountain in 2021.

The honor of the first “half a thousand” milestone goes to a lookout high in the Rocky Mountains overlooking Denver. Constructed by the CCC in 1940, the classic stone and wood tower at Squaw Mountain Lookout, on the Arapaho National Forest is the second to grace the peak. The first was a 16’x20’ cabin constructed in 1925 by the city and county of Denver to protect the rugged foothills west of the growing city (including its growing acreage of mountain parklands).

The current USFS station was placed at a higher elevation on the peak, increasing the “seen area” by 25%. The 14’x14’ Rocky Mountain cab with catwalk on a one story stone base has been restored by the Forest Service and four organizations, including the Colorado Forestry Association.

On Sept. 22, 2007 the Colo./Utah Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Assn., along with the Colo. Forestry Assn. and the USFS spent the day repairing the lookout. A coat of stain was applied to the exterior walls, overhang, guardrail and floor of the catwalk. The shutters on the west side had blown off breaking a window. The shutters were replaced.

A group of fifteen individuals including two members of the Evergreen Rotary Club, a representative of the Denver Mtn. Parks Fund., a neighbor, a retired Jefferson County school teacher and his two high school children, three members of the FFLA, a member of the Colo. Forestry Assn., and three USFS employees made up the work group.