Hunter Mountain Fire Tower

Hunter Mountain Fire Tower is a steel observation tower standing 60 feet high on a peak at 4,040 feet elevation in Greene County, New York. The structure serves as a lookout point for detecting forest fires across the region.

The original wooden tower from an earlier era was replaced by this steel structure in 1917. The current tower was relocated to the summit in 1953 and listed on the National Register in 1980.

The tower shows how people watched over forests in the early 1900s through direct observation from above. Visitors today learn from volunteers how this simple method helped protect the woodlands.

The tower is accessible by two hiking routes: the blue-marked Spruceton Trail (about 7 miles round trip) and the yellow-marked Colonel's Chair Trail (about 4 miles). The cab is open seasonally with limited weekend access in summer months.

The tower's cab opens to visitors from Memorial Day through Columbus Day on weekends with volunteer guides. These interpreters share firsthand accounts of how fire detection work shaped the mountain's story.

Location: Greene County

GPS coordinates: 42.17793,-74.22973

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:11