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Above it AllTen classic fire tower hikes By Lisa Densmore AMC Outdoors, July/August 2011 I ascend the metal steps slowly, clutching the rail and telling myself not to look down. Down is a dizzying drop through a maze of scaffolding anchored to bedrock 40 feet below. A strong breeze begins to chill me after the sweaty climb to the summit of Stratton Mountain, where this fire tower sits. When I clear the tops of the trees, I'm tempted to take my fleece from my pack, but as soon as I enter the tower's small cabin, I'm sheltered from the wind, and the eye-popping 360-degree view demands my full attention. On solid flooring, I am briefly free of my earthbound cares and absorbed by the panorama. The heyday for these outposts in the sky, also called lookout towers, occurred during the first half of the 20th century, when forest fires from lightning strikes, railroad sparks, and careless backcountry travelers threatened to destroy precious timber operations and growing rural towns. Hundreds of professional fire watchers staffed lookouts scattered throughout the Northeast. But by the early 1970s, light aircraft took over as the preferred method for detecting forest fires because they were deemed more efficient and less expensive. Today, only a fraction of the towers remain, typically maintained by local "friends" groups, regional trail maintenance organizations, or state park agencies as a destination for hikers. A select few still serve their original purpose.
Although any fire tower is an excellent destination for a hike, here are 10 of the classics worth trekking to. These towers are appealing not only for their expansive vistas, but also because the family-friendly routes to reach them are interesting in their own right. Jackie Jones Fire Tower The 60-foot-tall Jackie Jones Fire Tower perches atop its namesake mountain (elevation 1,276 feet). Constructed in 1928, it was relieved from active duty in 1988. Hikers in Harriman State Park frequent the tower for its panoramic view of the Catskills, Lake Welch, and the Hudson River, as well as the New York City skyline some 45 miles away, and also because the route to it passes through the ruins of the Orak Mansion. Built in 1923 by George Briggs Buchanan, vice president of the Karo syrup company ("Orak" is "Karo" spelled backward), the mansion was donated to the state after his death in 1939, then demolished in 1973, though sections of foundation, machinery parts, and household items remain among the ruins. "I like this tower because it's accessible," says Cynthia Tollo, a hiking leader with AMC's New York–North Jersey Chapter. "The stairs are rickety and the wind shakes it, but you really feel like you're up high." From the tower, descend to the historic Big Hill Shelter, a stone lean-to with another view of the New York City skyline. Apple Pie Hill The Pine Barrens or "Pinelands" are pancake flat, except for Apple Pie Hill (elevation 205 feet). Add the 60-foot lookout on top, and you downright tower over the surrounding southern New Jersey countryside. The Batona Hiking Club (Batona stands for "BAck TO NAture") maintains the sandy path that's laden with wild blueberries in August. It begins at an obelisk in memory of Emilio Carranza Rodriguez, a 22-year-old pilot who successfully flew from Mexico City to New York the year after Charles Lindbergh's historic transatlantic flight, only to crash at this spot on his attempted return to Mexico. The trail passes through a cedar swamp and vast upland pine and oak forest en route to the lookout, the highest point in the region. "On a clear day, you can see all the way to Philadelphia," says Susan Charkes, AMC Delaware Valley Chapter member and author of AMC's Best Day Hikes near Philadelphia (AMC Books, 2010). "It gives you a sense of just how flat New Jersey is." Overlook Mountain To visit the restored fire tower atop Overlook Mountain (elevation 3,140 feet), expect a steady climb for the first 2 miles until you reach the ruins of the former Overlook Mountain Hotel. Opened in 1871 at an elevation of 2,920 feet, the hotel was the highest of many luxury inns that dotted the Catskills. It accommodated up to 300 guests nightly until it closed during the Great Depression. From the hotel, the route passes over a south-facing rock ledge before coming to the tower. Removed from active duty in 1988, the 60-foot lookout crowns the tree-covered summit where you'll find red oak, a tree usually found at much lower elevations. It is staffed by a volunteer steward during the summer and offers exceptional views of the Hudson Valley, Ashokan Reservoir, and Devil's Path. "The tower just reopened," says Roger Scholl, AMC's director of chapter and volunteer relations, who used to live nearby. "The hotel, the ledge, the tower, all these things make this a really neat hike that's great for beginners." The Overlook tower is the newest of the five remaining towers in Catskill Park, in position since 1950, though it was originally constructed in 1927 on Gallis Hill near Kingston. Bald Mountain (Rondaxe) The trail to the Bald Mountain fire tower, also known as the Rondaxe fire tower after the lake just to the north, provides a short, exhilarating family hike. This particular Bald Mountain (there are 16 in New York State alone) is on the northwestern side of the Fulton Chain of Lakes, which begins with First Lake near Old Forge and flows through Eighth Lake and ultimately to Raquette Lake. You can see most of this popular canoeing route from the tower, which was retired from active duty in 1990. It was reopened to hikers in 2005, thanks in part to efforts of the Genesee Valley Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. Built in 1917, Bald Mountain Tower was one of 210 fire-watcher towers atop peaks in New York during the early 20th century. Like many of the others, it was originally built of wood, then replaced with the steel structure that stands today.
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A fire watcher peers out over southern New Hampshire from the tower on Mount Cardigan. Photo by Lisa Densmore.
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