History: Originally completed in 1942 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and known as the High Park Lookout, this historic stone-and-timber structure served for three decades as an outpost for seasonal fire spotters scanning the vast Big Horns.

In 2015, the lookout was officially renamed to honor James T. Saban, a dedicated Wyoming forest ranger and CCC foreman who tragically lost his life alongside 14 other men during the historic 1937 Blackwater Fire.

From the Forest Service Sign:

FIRE LOOKOUTS

Fire detection and suppression have been priority work for the United States Forest Service from its beginning in 1905.

In the 1920s and 1930s, the Forest Service began building access roads, communication systems, and received equipment and manpower to effectively control fires. Suppression however, still depended on early detection. In the technology of the time, this required manned lookout stations on most National Forests.

The Civilian Conservation Corps built several fire lookouts in the Big Horn Mountains. Three of these remain today, but are only manned in seasons with the highest fire danger levels.

This is one such station. The lookout was the summer home of an individual or couple who kept watch for and reported signs of fire. They also had time for wildlife watching, and during summer storms watched spectacular natural "fireworks" as lightning struck the surrounding peaks. The station stood protected by grounded points that drained the static electricity from the lookout.