Dressmaker and designer Kristie Wolfe previously built a Hawaiian treehouse on a shoestring budget, as well as a hobbit house in Washington State. Her latest project is a fire lookout tower dating back to the 1950s, which she has renovated into an Airbnb rental.
Fire lookout towers used to be prevalent in the US and some are even still in use today, though most have been replaced by technology. This particular example is called Crystal Peak Lookout and was transported to its current location, a rural 13 acre (5.2 hectare) plot in Fernwood, Idaho, back in 1983. It was previously used as a hunting lodge before being acquired by Wolfe, who recently finished renovating it.
Access is gained by wooden steps and a trapdoor. Inside, it measures 196 sq ft (18.2 sq m), and consists of a single space containing a double bed, some seating and shelving, a kitchenette with stove, a cooler, a sink, and a wood-burning stove.
There don't appear to be any curtains or blinds, so we're guessing visitors will wake up with the sun, but with all that glazing, the views on offer should make the early rise well worth it. There's also no toilet up in the tower, so visitors use a log cabin outhouse on the ground. Wolfe turned an old woodshed nearby into a sauna, too.
Crystal Peak Lookout has some basic off-grid gear installed. Wolfe added solar lights and a solar panel setup for charging small electronics, like a tablet or phone.
If you'd like to spend some time in Crystal Peak Lookout, it's up for rent on Airbnb. Rates start at US$200, per night.
Source: Tiny House On The Prairie