Carissa Lookout, Long Canyon-Lincoln National Forest

 I like visiting these old fire lookouts. I'm not sure why. I had been wanting to visit this one for awhile now but it's remote location precluded a day trip all the way from Las Cruces. This past weekend we were camping near Mayhill, so it seemed like a good opportunity to check this place out.
As it was, it was still between 45 minutes and an hour just to get there. Forest Roads 171 and 255 are good, maintained gravel roads that made for a nice drive as we wound past valley meadows thick with fading summer grasses. FR 271 which follows Long Canyon is a dirt one lane affair that makes for much slower driving. It is also in the midst of a logging operation which made the route less than scenic.
There is a faded sign pointing to the lookout road which is easy to pass right by. FR 612 is closed with a locked gate, but it's a very short walk up to the lookout tower and adjacent buildings, which where shuddered but have been restored in recent years.


We wandered around bit and I walked up a few flights of the metal stairs, but stopped  before reaching the 7x7 cab at the top, which I presume is locked.
 That all made for quick work so we decided to head back to a little canyon where we had spied some maple trees on the way in. It was just around a bend in the road, on the same hill where the lookout sits.
 The maples were in full autumn display and it was a fun, but steep little hike as we snapped photos of the brilliant yellow, orange, red and pink leaves.

That was over a bit too soon too. So we walked down to another bend in the road  and began hiking upstream in one of the upper branches of Long Canyon.
 

There is a closed road here too but we stayed in the center of the mostly open little valley bordered by spruce, fir and pine trees.We heard elk bugling as we trod along path in the green grass for a little over a mile or so before turning around. Another fall day with perfect weather and wonderful scenery, spent in the Lincoln National Forest.