Get a 360-degree view of the Catskills from the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower
Written: Jan 10 '09 (Updated Feb 02 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful views, Interesting hike to the tower, Fairly quick access via trails, Unique location
Cons: Walk could be a bit much for some
The Bottom Line: If you want a hike that will give you a great view in the Catskills, a trip up Tremper Mountain to the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower is a great choice
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| jps246's Full Review: Tremper Mountain Fire Tower |
Looking for a pleasant hike that culminates with a great view on top of a mountain in the Catskills?
The Tremper Mountain Fire Tower, located on the summit of Tremper Mountain does just that.
This Fire Tower, originally built in the early 1900's gives you a great 360 degree view of the Catskills including its highest peaks and some of its most undeveloped areas. To the north you can see the Devil's Path Range to the east is the Ashokan Reservoir, more to the south is Slide Mountain, the Catskills highest peak and to the west you can see the Catskills continuing off into the distance.
The tower cab, which is the small room on the very top of the tower, is only open when its staffed by volunteers, which is usually during weekends in the summer months. At other times, you can easily climb the Fire Tower, but you cannot enter the cab area. Even so, you are rewarded with some great views either way and you shouldn't necessarily discount a trip to the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower just because it's not currently being staffed by a volunteer.
How do I get to the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower?
Tremper Mountain is located in the along the Esopus River valley in the Town of Phoenicia in Ulster County. It's location gives you a unique view of the Catskills, with the rugged Devil's Path range to the north and Slide Mountain to the south, which is the highest peak in the Catskills. The most direct routes to the region are via Route 28 from Kingston and NY State Thruway or via Route 212 from the Woodstock area.
No matter how you reach the tower, you are going to have to hike. The easiest and quickest route is to follow the red-blazed Phoenicia Trail from Route 40 to the summit of Tremper Mountain. This is a steady climb of about 2.75 miles. The trail follows the former jeep road that was used by fire watchers to reach the tower, so while the grade is steady, it's not difficult nor very steep. Expect to take about an hour and a half to two hours to reach the summit this way.
The other option for reaching the tower is to follow the 4.2 mile blue-blazed trail from Willow. This trail is quite a bit longer, but the after about a 2 mile climb from the Willow parking area and its intersection with the Warner Creek Trail, the route climbs gently to the Tremper Mountain summit in the remaining miles.
For those who have two cars, a nice option is to start the hike in Willow, climb up to the Fire Tower and then down to Route 40 in Phoenicia. This is a total hike of just about 7 miles.
There are also two trail shelters (called leantos in the Catskills) located just below the summit of Tremper Mountain that you could spend the night at if you wanted to make the trip an overnight trip. One suggestion if you do, make sure you are on the Fire Tower during the sunset or sunrise (or both) because it's a great view.
So what's there when I get to the Fire Tower?
Since this is Forest Preserve in the Catskill Park, there are no entrance fees or anything like that. All you really have to do is sign in at the Trail Register when you start out on your hike. That lets Rangers know where you are should there be an emergency.
I think one of the nicest parts of the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower is the walk up to it from Phoenicia. The trail is steady, but as it works its way up the shoulder of the mountain, there's plenty of interesting things to see and explore. I've seen plenty of wildlife and about halfway up the mountain, are the remnants of a large bluestone rock quarry that you can explore. As you reach the summit, it's interesting to note how the vegetation changes and how it's unlike most other Catskill summits. This mountain is not as high as other summits and in addition, it was completely burned over in the past, altering the soil and hence the vegetation that you get in the area.
When you reach the Fire Tower, unlike other towers in the Catskills, there's no observer's cabin near the tower on the ground. The cabin on Tremper was removed in the past and not replaced.
From the ground, the tower doesn't really look all that impressive. Sure it's tall at almost 50 feet, but the large oak trees in the area rival the tower in height, which I think helps to make you think that it's not as big as it actually is.
Once you start walking up the stairs on the Fire Tower though, you'll realize that it's fairly tall and the further you go up, the better the views get. From the very top of the stairs and from the cab itself, the views are over the tops of the surrounding trees, giving you a practically 360 degree view of the surrounding area. This is the place to have your camera.
If the Fire Tower cab is open, you climb up the final stairs into the cab and from there, you can stand and look out the windows at the view. When the cab is open, the volunteers staffing it will be able to help you identify landmarks and mountains and will offer you some information on the history and the restoration of the Fire Tower.
Final Thoughts
Sure it's a bit of a hike to get to the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower and back down to your car, but the views of the surrounding Catskill region from the Fire Tower are well worth it, at least in my mind. Plus the hike up to the Tower from Phoenicia is interesting in its own right and offers plenty of things to explore and enjoy as you make your way to the Fire Tower.
If you are in the vicinity of Tremper Mountain and you are looking for a hike that will give you a great view, I'd really suggest a trip up Tremper Mountain to the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower. I've always enjoyed the view and I think you will too.
Catskill Resources
The Catskills
Woodstock
Hunter, Tannersville and Haines Falls
Phoenicia
Hunter Mountain Wild Forest
Westkill Mountain Wilderness Area
Hunter Mountain Fire Tower
Woodland Valley Campground
Devil's Tombstone Campground and Day-Use Area
Hunter Mountain Ski Resort
Ski Windham Ski Resort
Belleayre Mountain Ski Resort
Emerson Place
Catskill Trails Map Set
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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