Post #13 The Fire Tower—A Reminder of Days Gone By

Post #13 The Fire Tower marks the thirteenth stop of the Rankin Ridge Nature Trail.

NPS Photo / Anania Tekurio

You have reached the top of the ridge where the park fire tower stands as a lonely sentinel. Gone are the days of fire lookouts watching for smoke from fire towers. Today, lightning strikes are mapped using Lightning Mapping Array systems and satellite imagery, making it much easier to pinpoint potential fires. The fire tower is staffed only occasionally during periods of extreme fire danger and following intense electrical storms.

For safety reasons the fire tower is closed to visitors.