Adirondack Fire Towers
The Adirondack Fire Towers have a long history that dates back to the early 1900s. Once used as an observatory to detect forest fires, many of the towers now offer 360-degree summit views for hikers. To see a full list and details on each of the hikes to these ADK Fire Towers, click on the mountains in the table below:
| Rank | Mountain | Elevation (ft) | Miles (One Way) | Ascent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snowy Mountain | 3904 | 3.8 | 2100 |
| 2 | Lyon Mountain | 3830 | 3.4 | 1900 |
| 3 | Blue Mountain | 3759 | 2.5 | 1560 |
| 4 | Wakely Mountain | 3744 | 3.2 | 1636 |
| 5 | Hurricane Mountain | 3694 | 2.6 | 2000 |
| 6 | Pillsbury Mountain | 3597 | 1.6 | 1300 |
| 7 | Gore Mountain* | 3583 | 5.0 | 2590 |
| 8 | Mount Adams | 3520 | 2.5 | 1700 |
| 9 | Vanderwhacker Mountain | 3386 | 2.9 | 1700 |
| 10 | Loon Lake Mountain* | 3355 | 2.8 | 1642 |
| 11 | St. Regis Mountain | 2882 | 3.4 | 1250 |
| 12 | Owls Head Mountain | 2748 | 3.1 | 1060 |
| 13 | Goodnow Mountain | 2685 | 1.9 | 1050 |
| 14 | Hadley Mountain | 2680 | 2.0 | 1530 |
| 15 | Black Mountain* | 2665 | 2.5 | N/A |
| 16 | Mount Arab | 2539 | 0.8 | 740 |
| 17 | Azure Mountain | 2518 | 1.0 | 1000 |
| 18 | Buck Mountain | 2400 | 1.2 | 500 |
| 19 | Woodhull Mountain | 2365 | 7.5 | N/A |
| 20 | Bald Mountain | 2350 | 1.0 | 390 |
| 21 | Stillwater Mountain | 2264 | 0.9 | 530 |
| 22 | Kane Mountain | 2180 | 0.9 | 570 |
| 23 | Poke-O-Moonshine | 2174 | 2.25 | 1450 |
| 24 | Spruce Mountain | 2009 | 1.2 | 1011 |
| 25 | Swede Mountain | 1900 | 0.9 | 240 |
| 26 | Belfry Mountain | 1840 | 0.4 | 137 |
| 27 | Cathedral Rock | 1700 | 1.0 | 200 |
*Please note that these towers are currently closed to the public.
If you enjoy hiking and want to make your way up to the summit where each of the fire towers are located, then the Adirondack Fire Tower Challenge might be of interest to you. Created by the Glens Falls-Saratoga Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club, one must climb to the summit of at least 23 fire tower summits: 18 of 27 Adirondack Park summits and all 5 Catskill Park summits. Climbing each tower is not required, nor is it recommended for those towers that need additional restoration measures for safe public use.
Visit the ADK Mountain Club landing page for the latest updates on fire tower cabin and trail closures.
External Resources
ADK Fire Tower History (Provided by the Adirondack Experience)
"Adirondack Fire Towers: Their History and Lore" (Book Review in the Adirondack Explorer)
