UFO Watchtower, Colorado
A viewing deck in the San Luis Valley, with the Sangre de Cristo peaks on one side and the Great Sand Dunes beyond.
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Make this model
The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely.
- Region
- Colorado, USA
- Position
- 37.7470, -105.8760
- Area
- 50 × 50 km
- Real elevation
- 2,290 to 4,233 m (1,944 m of relief)
- Printed size
- 150 mm (5.9 in) wide, about 1:333,300
- Heights
- 1.5× exaggeration
- Elevation data
- USGS 3D Elevation Program, 1–10 m per point
- Suggested color
- Desert
- Group
- Wild places
About UFO Watchtower, Colorado
The UFO Watchtower is an observation platform and campground north of Hooper, Colorado in San Luis Valley where tales of UFO sightings have been reported. Cattle farmer Judy Messoline converted her barn into a tourist attraction in 2000 when she was facing financial troubles. Messoline relies on donations and sales of alien themed merchandise to fund the attraction. In 2004, Messoline stated that she was receiving 75 visitors a day. In 2023, it was reported that over 30,000 had visited the Watchtower since its opening in 2000. The site is managed by Messoline's son, Larry Messoline.
From Wikipedia: UFO Watchtower, text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. The article’s history lists its authors.
Questions about UFO Watchtower, Colorado
Where is UFO Watchtower?
UFO Watchtower is in Colorado, USA at 37.7470, -105.8760. The model covers a 50 by 50 kilometer square around that point.
How high is the terrain in the UFO Watchtower model?
The land in this model runs from 2,290 to 4,233 m (1,944 m of relief). These are the measured heights, printed 1.5 times taller so the shape is easy to see.
Can I 3D print UFO Watchtower?
Yes. Download the free Standard resolution STL and print it on any FDM or resin printer. It is 150 mm wide and about 13.7 mm tall, on a solid 5 mm base, at a scale of about 1:333,300. It also works for CNC carving. Use Customize to change the width, base thickness or height exaggeration, make it round or add a name plate.
How accurate is the UFO Watchtower model?
It is built from real elevation measurements, not an artist's guess: the USGS 3D Elevation Program, mostly airborne laser scans at 1 to 10 meters per point. The shaded picture on this page is made from the same data.
Is the UFO Watchtower model free?
The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely and is a paid upgrade.
What is a UFO Watchtower terrain model good for?
People use it as a memento of a park visit, a gift for a hiker or a classroom model.
About this terrain model
Embossify Terra builds UFO Watchtower, Colorado from real measured elevation, not an artist's guess. In the United States the heights come from the USGS 3D Elevation Program, mostly airborne laser scans that resolve every 1 to 10 meters.
The model covers a 50 by 50 kilometer square centered on 37.7470, -105.8760. It prints 150 mm (5.9 in) wide on a solid base, a scale of about 1:333,300. The heights are exaggerated 1.5× so the shape is easy to see and feel; you can change that when you customize the model. The sea is flattened to zero, so land stands on a clean base.
New to terrain printing? Read how Terra works. The shaded picture on this page is made by Embossify from the same elevation data.
