Warren Peak (Wyoming)

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An image of Warren Peak Lookout Tower in the Bear Lodge Mountains within the Black Hills. The tower itself stands at 54 feet (16.46 meters) and was constructed in 1960 after demolishing the smaller original tower which stood at 10 feet (3.05 meters). Coordinates: 44deg28'33.8"N 104deg26'38.3"W Warren Peak Lookout Tower, Black Hills National Forest, WY, east side 2024-05-26.jpg
An image of Warren Peak Lookout Tower in the Bear Lodge Mountains within the Black Hills. The tower itself stands at 54 feet (16.46 meters) and was constructed in 1960 after demolishing the smaller original tower which stood at 10 feet (3.05 meters). Coordinates: 44°28'33.8"N 104°26'38.3"W

Warren Peak or Warren Peak Lookout (also known as Bear Lodge Mountain) is the most prominent mountain in the Bear Lodge Mountains and is located near Devils Tower which is at a lower elevation. Warren peak sits at an elevation of 6,640 feet above sea level and it is located in Crook County, Wyoming with the closest large town being Sundance, Wyoming. [2] It is notable due to its Fire Lookout Tower which is one of many in the Black Hills region and Wyoming other ranges.

Contents

It is disputed if it is the highest point as Cement Ridge is stated to be 27 feet taller in elevation than Warren Peak, although this is debated as other sources say otherwise. [3] It is located in the Bearlodge District within the Black Hills National Forest and was once apart of the Bear Lodge National Forest before being merged. Unlike other peaks in the area, it is easily accessible on a unnamed road due to it's more gradual elevation (unlike Inyan Kara Mountain which rises much more steeply within the Bear Lodge Mountains). [4]

History

The original Warren Peak Lookout was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps of South Dakota in 1938, which did many projects within the Black Hills in respect of nature preservation. The original tower was 10 feet tall, with a live-in cab. This lasted until construction began on the nearby Sundance Air Force Station, the worlds first nuclear-powered radar station, in 1959, where the original 10 foot tower was demolished. A replacement 54-foot-tall tower was built, slightly east of the original location. [5]

The Peak itself was named after Gouverneur K. Warren who led an expedition in the Black Hills, and famously led the last minute defense at Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg. [6] Although George Armstrong Custer made the more famous Black Hills Expedition and visited the Bear Lodge Mountains, he did not summit Warren Peak. He chose to summit Inyan Kara Mountain to the south, (likely due to its more impressive appearance), and carved an inscription of his name and the year on the peak's exposed rock. The Black Hills gold rush brought thousands of miners to the Black Hills and the Bear Lodge Mountains, as there was an abundance of rare earth minerals, especially gold,, which jumpstarted many towns like Sundance. [7]

Terrain/Wildlife

Terrain

The lookout is in a small unforested area where the elevation gain is much more gradual than other peaks in the Black Hills, mostly because it is already in the Bear Lodge Mountains and sits on top of them. The region in general is much less rocky than the core Black Hills which is one of the main differences that make it a subrange. [8] Although some peaks still have exposed rock such as Inyan Kara Mountain in southern the Bear Lodge Mountains, and Sundance Mountain which is south of Warren peak and has notable cliffs and hikes.

Wildlife

The wildlife on the peak is mostly shared with the surrounding range although it is a more likely habitat for a Mountain lion (Cougar) or a Bobcat on high elevation areas like Warren Peak than the lower altitude areas of the Bear Lodge Mountains. [9] There are lots of flowers on the unforested hills occasionally which make popular hiking a recreational activity as Devils Tower nearby attracts tourists.[ citation needed ] The ranges harsh weather and extreme snowfall makes it difficult for some animals to survive that are found in the core Black Hills, which offer more dense vegetation in Spearfish Canyon. [10]

References

  1. ↑ "Black Hills National Forest | Warren Peak Fire Lookout | Forest Service". www.fs.usda.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-01.
  2. ↑ "Wyoming's Black Hills Fire Tower: Warren Peak – Anne's Travels". www.annestravels.net. Retrieved 2025-09-01.
  3. ↑ "Cement Ridge". www.fs.usda.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-01.
  4. ↑ "Inyan Kara Mountain". wyoshpo.wyo.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-01.
  5. ↑ "Black Hills National Forest | Warren Peak Fire Lookout | Forest Service". www.fs.usda.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-01.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters > About > History > Army Engineers in the Civil War > Engineer Biographies > Gouverneur Warren". www.usace.army.mil. Archived from the original on 2025-04-27. Retrieved 2025-09-01.
  7. ↑ "WSGS - Bear Lodge Mountains". main.wsgs.wyo.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  8. ↑ "Geologic Activity - Mount Rushmore National Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  9. ↑ "Crook County, US, WY". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  10. ↑ "Spearfish Canyon Nature Area | South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks". gfp.sd.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
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