ROSEBUD COUNTY
POKER JIM
Custer National Forest
6S-44E-8
6S-44E-8
September 29, 1937: "A new tourist attraction in southeastern Montana which has been quietly attracting visitors all summer has been 'discovered' by the Custer national forest, C.W. Jackson, assistant supervisor, said Tuesday.
The attraction is a lookout tower which was built on the summit of Poker Jim butte, about 15 miles from the Bones brothers' dude ranch near Birney, last spring.
Although the summit is only about 3,500 feet above sea level, the surrounding area is so low that a remarkably good view can be obtained of the surrounding wooded areas and park lands, Jackson said, and during the summer months 186 tourists from 19 states registered at the lookout station.
Although never publicized, visitors at the dude ranch soon discovered it as an ideal spot for picnics and on several occasions there have been as many as 40 persons there at one time, Mibra Lloyd, lookout, reported.
Lloyd, who with his wife was stationed at the lookout all summer, kept a register of all visitors." (Billings Gazette)
The attraction is a lookout tower which was built on the summit of Poker Jim butte, about 15 miles from the Bones brothers' dude ranch near Birney, last spring.
Although the summit is only about 3,500 feet above sea level, the surrounding area is so low that a remarkably good view can be obtained of the surrounding wooded areas and park lands, Jackson said, and during the summer months 186 tourists from 19 states registered at the lookout station.
Although never publicized, visitors at the dude ranch soon discovered it as an ideal spot for picnics and on several occasions there have been as many as 40 persons there at one time, Mibra Lloyd, lookout, reported.
Lloyd, who with his wife was stationed at the lookout all summer, kept a register of all visitors." (Billings Gazette)
July 20, 1966: "Blazes were burning in Ponderosa pine and grass. They were in the Ashland and Fort Howes districts of the forest.
The Forest Service's Poker Jim lookout tower was evacuated, buildings on a large ranch were threatened and the Fort Howes ranger station also was threatened by the flames." (The Billings Gazette)
DESIGNATION - POKER JIM LOT
PID - QV0436
STATE/COUNTY- MT/ROSEBUD
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - POKER JIM BUTTE (1995)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 1966
ABOUT 7 MI. (AIRLINE) E. OF BIRNEY, NEAR THE NE. CORNER SEC. 17,
T 6 S, R 44 E, ON A TOP WITH SCATTERED TIMBER KNOWN AS --POKER JIM
BUTTE--.
TO REACH FROM BIRNEY POST OFFICE, DRIVE S. 1.4 MI. ALONG GRAVEL RD.
TO JUNCTION WITH COW CREEK-BIRNEY ROAD, TURN LEFT CONTINUING 3.8 MI.
TO RD. FORK, TURN LEFT AT RD. FORKS AND CONTINUE 3.6 MI. TO Y-RD.
FORKS. TURN RIGHT AT FORKS AND DRIVE 1.4 MI. TO E. SIDE OF POKER
JIM BUTTE AND RD. FORK, TURN LEFT AT RD. FORK AND DRIVE 0.3 MI. TO
TOP OF BUTTE AND TOWER. THIS LOOKOUT TOWER IS IN THE CUSTER NATIONAL
FOREST.
RECOVERED BY USGS IN 1966.
STATION MARK--APEX OF FOREST SERVICE LOOKOUT TOWER WAS INTERSECTED.