Milton Station Fire Tower
US 563, NJ 16
April 2016 photo by Jan Braidech

April 2016 photo by Jan Braidech

Lookout Details

Registry Numbers US 563, NJ 16 (view other lookouts in United States, New Jersey)
Date Registered March 3, 2004
Nominated by Bob Spear
Location Morris County Park
Morris County, New Jersey
Coordinates N 41° 00.520' W 074° 32.433' (view using Google Maps)
N 41° 00' 31" W 074° 32' 26"
N 41.008667° W 074.540550°
Elevation 1,341 ft (409 m)
Built 1937
Administered by New Jersey Forest Fire Service
Cooperators New Jersey Forest Fire Service, Division A

Description

Back in 1937 the CCC constructed the Milton Station Fire Tower under the Woodlands Protective Expansion Project. The 80’ International Derrick tower with 7’x7’ metal cab is on Morris County park property. A key facility, every other “A” Division NJ Forest Fire Service tower can be seen. It has been rehabbed and a new stainless steel roof added.

Map

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Photos

Visit Reports

April 15, 2016: Jan Braidech

Condition

Needs paint? No Response
Shutters OK? Yes
Condition of wood OK? Yes
Stairs OK? Yes
Glass intact? Yes
Good condition? Yes
Comments: My boyfriend and I heard from Bill Orlandi of the Greystone fire tower that young adults broke into the cabin and did some damage about a year ago or so. <br /> <br />I saw "FFS Milton Fire Tower" painted on a steel "square" with a lock and chain on a floor below the cabin to block any future intruders.

Electronics and Enroachments

Are electronic sites enroaching on tower? No

Access and Signs

NHLR sign posted? No
Directions to tower signed? No

Staffing

Staffed? No

Opportunities for Volunteer Support

Volunteers staffing opportunities? No Response
Volunteer maintenance opportunities? No Response
Bob Wolff from the Catfish fire tower has taken the time to educate me on the responsibilities of being a forest fire service member and of the work that is expected while up in the towers.

Other Comments

Comments My boyfriend and I saw five of the six towers from up the tower as far as we could go. <br /> <br />Budd Lake needs some "grooming" as we know where to look but it was not in view. Trees most likely have grown tall and/or wide to block it from being visible from Milton. (We did not see Sterling Forest fire tower either... Although upon calling that park about two weeks ago, a lady who answered the phone at the "Lautenberg" visitor center told me that a Hemlock tree had fallen and did some damage to the tower... It just about was totally restored by the Forest Fire Lookout Association (my boyfriend and I are members), and then this apparently happened. The lady assured me that the grating would be repaired by (I'm guessing) the NY/NJ Highland Group of the Forest Fire Lookout Association.