It Is Time For The Rebirth Of Rich Mountain Fire Tower

Fire Towers...these sentinels of the mountains helped watch over the forest keeping them safe for generations. Today, with airplanes & satellites these towers have been replaced no longer needed. Some have been removed while others have been closed for various reasons while others have fallen into disrepair.
However, some have been given new life by being refurbished. The most famous one is in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) and that is the old stone fire lookout at Mount  Cammerer. Two others that were rehabilitated were Meadow Creek Tower in Cocke County and Pinnacle Mountain Tower in Unicoi County.

Mount Cammerer

Pinnacle Mountain Tower

Meadow Creek Tower

I have visited all three, and while are nice it is easy to see why Mount Cammerer was refurbished. The historic stone lookout was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1937 and was given new life in the mid-1990's by the Friends of the Smokies. From here is one of the best views in the Smokies.

The lookout back in the day (Photo TN State Libary)...

...& now.

The history of the Mount Cammerer...

...inside...

...looking into Tennessee...

...Snowbird Mountain & Max Patch...

...Mount Sterling.

The tower.

Another old fire tower rebuilt was the one on Pinnacle Mountain. Taking a cue from the Friends of the Smokies the group, Partners of the Cherokee National Forest, raised money to refurbish this tower starting in 2010. Pinnacle Mountain is a peak on Buffalo Mountain and rehabilitation of the tower was to be the center piece of a trail system on Buffalo Mountain, connecting Unicoi with Johnson City's park. The old live-in cabin was to be removed and a plain view deck installed. However,  the finished product incorporated the look of the old tower and the view is great too.

The old fire tower (Photo Panoramio)...

...after it was refurbished...

...looking up...

...this is on the roof.

Buffalo Mountain & Holston Mountain...

...Buffalo Valley & Unaka Mountain...

...back into Tennessee.

The cabin is still there.

The third one I mentioned is the old Meadow Creek Fire Lookout. This refurbish was done differently as Cocke County funded the construction. The idea here was different as the goal was to make the tower vandalism proof. So, they went for a straight viewing deck as the live-in cabin was removed and a plain metal grated view deck installed.

The old tower (Photo Panoramio)...

...all that remains is the base & numbers.

Metal deck...

...with views into the Nolichucky Valley...

...North Carolina...

...& Rich Mountain.

There are plenty more that need rehabilitation, there are two in the GSMNP, Mount Sterling, and Shuckstack. While I have visited those two and want to see them get a new life there is another closer to my heart and that tower stands on Rich Mountain.

I first hiked here in November of 2013 and it was obvious that the old 30-foot live-in tower had seen better days. But it had a wonderful view of the surrounding mountains including peaks like Camp Creek Bald, Big Bald, and Bluff Mountain. Even peaks in the Smokies, like Mount LeConte. There is also a view of the Nolichucky Valley. I have been here in summer, fall, but winter might be the best. So, the last time I was there was in July 2016 and its condition had deteriorated as the graffiti had grown in the cabin.

Fire tower on my first visit...

...looking toward Greeneville...

...the Unakas Range...

...North Carolina...

...the Smokies...

...in autumn.

Camp Creek Bald...

...Bluff Mountain...

...Big Bald...

...Unaka Mountain...

...Mount LeConte.

On my first visit in 2013, so graffiti...

...lot more on my last visit...

...in the tower, 2016.

However, I was still surprised when last Saturday I went up I found out that the Forest Service had "closed" it. I will admit this was sad as the views from here are the highlight of this part of the AT. Since they just removed the bottom stairs the riff raff that they want to keep out are crazy enough to climb it.

The sign says closed (except for the brave)...

...the tower & you can see...

...the stairs are gone...

...closing this awesome tower.

I don't think it will be removed as it is on National Historic Lookout Register, but it would be great to see it get the same treatment as the two towers in the Cherokee National Forest. It has an equal view of Pinnacle Mountain and a better one than Meadow Creek. Oh, and it has one other advantage it is just off the Appalachian Trail, because of this it would have far more hikers enjoying it. While I would like to see it get a full restoration like Pinnacle Mountain, I would take just a viewing deck like Meadow Creek Mountain to get back Rich Mountain's wonderful view.