Sugar Hill Fire Tower Hike

The Sugar Hill Fire Tower Hike at Sugar Hill State Forest near Tyrone, New York is an easy 0.7-mile out-and-back walk that leads to an old fire tower with seasonal access and views of the surrounding area from the top of the tower.

Hiking to Sugar Hill Fire Tower

This hike begins along the south side of Tower Hill Road, at the parking coordinates provided, and follows the dirt service road that leads up to the top of Sugar Hill. This service road is closed-off to the general public for driving, but you can hike, walk, and ride your horse along the dirt path as it makes its way up to the old fire tower.

Soon, hikers will find themselves at the top of Sugar Hill as the road begins to curve around to reach campsites and more at the top. As the dirt road curves around, it exposes the Sugar Hill Fire Tower which, as of February 2024, is tucked away within a grove of evergreen trees. The top of the tower sits almost inline with the tops of the trees. During the Winter, the fire tower's staircases are closed-off to the public, but during warm months when there's no snow or ice, the fire tower can be climbed - at your own risk - with no more than 6 people on the tower at any given time. From the top of the fire tower, hikers can find views of Seneca Lake and the surrounding area; however, during our Winter visit, we missed out on the views.

After exploring the Sugar Hill Fire Tower, hikers can choose to venture further into the Sugar Hill State Forest, like this Sugar Hill Pond and Twin Lean-Tos Hike or hike back down the road and back to parking for a short 0.7-mile out-and-back adventure.

Parking

Hikers will find a parking lot located on the south side of Tower Hill Road near Tyrone, NY at the coordinates provided (42.390456, -77.003214). The lot is large enough to fit a couple dozen vehicles at most. For visitors who do not wish to walk up to the base of the fire tower, you can drive up the state forest road to reach the campground area with a public parking lot located on the east side of the tower, near (42.386954,-77.002126) which reduces the walk to reach the tower to just 200-feet.

Camping

Note that the top of Sugar Hill provides several dozen campsites that line the southern forest boundary. These campsites appear to be first-come first-serve, have picnic tables, and more. Please follow all state forest rules and regulations if camping.

Restrooms

During warmer months, there's a restroom facility near the fire tower at the top of Sugar Hill.

Seasonal Views

During warm months, when the fire tower stairs are open to the public, you can climb to the top of the Sugar Hill Fire Tower to get views of the surrounding area, including views of Seneca Lake. During the winter, the stairs to reach the top of the fire tower are closed for public safety.