Burnt Mountain Fire Tower Trail

The Burnt Mountain Fire Tower Trail in the northern Catskills climbs 1,400 feet over three miles of increasingly technical terrain to reach one of New York’s last operational fire towers. Starting as a maintained dirt road, it quickly degrades into a rocky, root-strewn challenge that demands careful line choice and momentum management. The final push to the 3,168-foot summit involves navigating around massive boulders and washouts that claim oil pans and exhaust systems from overconfident drivers.

This is solid difficult territory requiring aggressive all-terrain tires, skid plates, and a spotter for the worst sections. High-clearance 4WD is mandatory, and even then you’ll be working for every foot. Best attempted May through October when ice isn’t adding another layer of complexity. No permits needed, but camping is prohibited within the fire tower area. The 360-degree views from the restored 1950s tower stretch across the Hudson Valley to Vermont’s Green Mountains — worth every scraped rock slider and bent tie rod.