What was supposed to be an easy 0.6 mile hike turned into around a 6 mile hike round-trip. There was a road closure so we had to park and walk to the tunnel which was 1.6 miles, then from the tunnel to the gravel road. By time I got to the gravel road I was questioning my life choices and decisions. The hike up the gravel road was STRAIGHT UP HILL, literally. Also because I thought it was a short hike I had no water, so I saw a questionable pipe with water coming from the mountain which I drank from. Probably the best water I've ever had in my LIFE! If I get some kind of intestinal parasite or I die I took a pic of the pipe to show the ER doctor just in case. Once to the top I literally felt like I conquered the world. I began my trek up the stairs and the wind was insane. I couldn't make it past the third plank because the wind seemed around 60mph and I felt my soul leave my body and I was shaking with fear. Overall great hike. Bring water. Also, why is that I had better cell service up there than in my living room. Ugh, weird stuff. Side note....my ears started ringing on the way up the gravel road probably due to the radiation levels from the tower. Happy hiking!!

30 minute walk on a gravel road from parking area to the base of the tower. Cannot quite climb tower to the top but high enough. Spectacular views. Be aware the steps are shaky and the wall only waits high. A few people turned around. Makes for butterflies in your stomach for sure. Speaking of butterflies, I saw dozens along the way amongst the wild flowers. This was a good secondary "hike" after a longer one this morning.

I really enjoyed taking a day trip as it didn't take too long to get to the tower from the parking lot! Make sure to follow the gravel path and watch your step on the way up! Enjoy the great views from a bird's eye view and spend some time soaking in all the beauty of the mountain range! We spent a couple hours enjoying the view from above as it was a really warm day when we went! We ended up enjoying the rest of the day in Asheville after we left the tower!

Nice, short hike to an awesome tower. It's a manicured, gravel path that's about 6/10 of a mile, and almost anyone in reasonable health could easily hike up with relative ease. The tower is really tall (70 feet). Someone has broken the locked door, so you can squeeze through the opening pretty easily if you want to go in the cabin on top. Lots of interesting graffiti on the windows.

I found this place only by remembering the directions given by an article describing the small gravel parking area that sits below the tower! There are absolutely no obvious signs showing you how to get here, but if you follow the gravel trail all the way up, you find the holy grail of views you were hoping to find. You can’t get onto the top platform of the tower, but you can climb the stairs as high as you possibly want until you hit the steel door blocking the top platform. It’s okay though because the view is still spectacular. We happened to go on a lightly gusty day that was a sunny 65 degrees. It truly couldn’t have been a better experience. Highly recommend.

Great hike for the family. Gravel path, fairly easy incline up the mountain, levels off somewhat near the top. The tower is old but the structure seems safe. Views are out of this world amazing. Incredible experience seeing God's creation from the top of a tower that is on the the top of a mountain! Highly recommend this hike.

Absolutely amazing views, especially at sunset! The whole area is of course beautiful, but this really is something special. A bit of a trek up there but the views are gorgeous. You have to walk for around 20-25 mins or so from the pretty small car park to get to the base of the tower and then of course several minutes climbing the tower itself. But the views at the top are epic and totally worth it! You can see miles upon miles of forest and hills, with amazing colours to boot.

A must do for sunsets and sunrises. The gravel road is get there isn't too long but has some incline. The tower itself is a bit spooky if you have acrophobia, but not undoable. The views are absolutely unmatched.

What more can you say? The Blue Ridge Parkway is closed to vehicles for now. So feet and bikes rule… Enjoy it while you can! You can’t stand in the middle of the road and just adore this every day. All these pics are somewhere between Highway 276 and the top of the stairs on the historic fire tower (top floor now sealed off, the ceiling you see here is the floor of that level).

Moderately easy hike at about 1.5 miles and 350 ft elevation gain. The views at the top are amazing. The tower itself is well aged and the metal steps shake as you walk on them. There was a large group at the top when I went so I only made it just below the top but the views are just as good.

Top three experiences of my life. View is absolutely unmatched. If you're brave enough to climb the steps and crawl through the hatch, the observation deck of the tower is now my favorite place on earth.

The hike was all uphill going and downhill coming back but short, about .75 miles each way. The tower was 5 flights of shaky stairs and when we got to the top, it was locked. It was obvious people have been climbing through the floor. Great views!

Absolutely amazing views from the top! Wish there was a better option for parking but it’s a nice short hike.

About a 15 min hike up the grave road leading to this lookout tower! The best thing we did all week... STOP and climb it! The 360 views are incredible!!

The views from the tower are outstanding. On clear days you can see for miles. The hiking trail is wide and very well maintained also serving as an access road. Great hike for everyone. The parking lot can get full very quickly and it is located off Blue Ridge Parkway.

Awesome hike! Our two year old did most of it himself with a snack break of course. Beautiful views, great “beginner hike”

The walk to the tower is easy enough. However the tower itself is INTENSE. It is not just the height but the wind can be really scary. Your hats and phones will certainly be blown off if not properly secured. The view is breathtaking even if you don't go all the way to the top.

Short but somewhat step hike depending on your fitness level. We made it to the start of this unmarked hike thanks to GPS. If you find it take the road up to the tower and then go up the stairs to the top. This is where it can be a bit tricky!! You have to crawl through a small opening in the floor to get to the observation deck! Unless you are very small this can not be done with a backpack on. I also feel that it should be mentioned that anyone who is larger may not make it through. I will post photos.

Be prepared it’s a incline from the start to the tower. It kicked our butts since we don’t hike often enough but it’s worth it at the end. The views from the tower is amazing! There’s a small parking area off the road to park so you can hike up the trail. It will test your limits bring enough water!

Dog friendly, easy trail. Beautiful 360 degrees once at the lookout tower. Perfect for a picnic or the sunset! Very few parking spots so make sure to get there early. Definitely worth the trip.

Nice, popular out and back gravel trail to the tower. On the shorter side, but moderately steep. It's very windy on the tower, but the views are gorgeous.

Crazy uphill hike, but had spectacular views. The fire tower is pretty scary to go up and it's windy and shaky. Not for people who fear heights.

I have been on this trail multiple times during different times of the year/day. Absolutely beautiful 360 views, however I took a star off because every time I go there are rude or sketchy people on the tower or it's not even open. Not to mention the local teenagers I have ran into on multiple occasions that use the tower as a spot to hang out and smoke. But if you can manage to dodge these types of people, the views are definitely worth it.

It is definitely a moderate hike. I was able to do it with no problem, but I've been running for a few years. My friends did have to give up some conversation 🤣 The fire tower was exactly what it says it is... and the views were beautiful! A few of the people at the top were staying away from the rails... it is above the tree and in clouds! 12 our of 10, would do again!

While this is a relatively short hike, it is up a steep gravel hill. This was not mentioned when I looked it up. The view from the tower was beautiful and I definitely recommend! Just make sure you have energy to get there! May be less suitable for small dogs. I ended up having to carry my dachshund some of the way and up the tower stairs.

Absolutely incredible views, pretty packed on a Sunday night. Can be very cold with the wind. Easy hike as well, well maintained and not strenuous