Ferncliff Forest Fire Tower
US 1117, NY 37
Photo by Homer Staley
Lookout Details
| Registry Numbers | US 1117, NY 37 (view other lookouts in United States, New York) |
| Date Registered | January 16, 2016 |
| Nominated by | Homer Staley |
| Location |
Ferncliff Forest Dutchess County, New York |
| Coordinates |
N 41° 57.393' W 073° 55.618' (view using Google Maps) N 41° 57' 24" W 073° 55' 37" N 41.956555° W 073.926967° |
| Elevation | 348 ft (106 m) |
| Built | 1933 |
| Administered by | Ferncliff Forest, Inc. |
Description
The current overlook is a 1933 International Derrick Fire Tower and is approximately 80 feet high. The overlook offers spectacular views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains. The overlook is open everyday all year long and is an easy walk of 15 minutes from the Ferncliff Forest parking lot.
The first overlook was built to aide map makers and was made out of trees from the forest. The Astor Family built a stone overlook in or around 1912. The foundation of that overlook remains on the site. In 1942 the Army Engineers built a wooden tower of 40 feet to protect the President in Hyde Park during the war. That tower was taken out of service in the year 2000. In 2007 an International Derrick fire tower was moved to the Forest. This overlook has over 10,000 visitors per year.
Map
Change Basemap
Visit Reports
September 22, 2018: Edward Seifert
Condition |
|
| Needs paint? | Yes |
| Shutters OK? | No |
| Condition of wood OK? | Not Applicable |
| Stairs OK? | Yes |
| Glass intact? | No |
| Good condition? | Yes |
| Comments: | The footings and structural steel are in very good condition. The cab interior/exterior needs a good coat of rust preventative and paint. Window panes are not present. The stairs and landings are metal and are in excellent condition. Footings hardware are all in excellent condition however some grafitti on the concrete should be removed. I did notice the name "Carnegie" stamped on one of the steel members. |
Electronics and Enroachments |
|
| Are electronic sites enroaching on tower? | No |
Access and Signs |
|
| NHLR sign posted? | No |
| Directions to tower signed? | Yes |
| Comments? | The trail from the Ferncliff Forest parking lot is well maintained and clearly marked. The hike is quite easy as the elevation change from parking lot to the base of the tower is around 120'. |
Staffing |
|
| Staffed? | No Response |
Opportunities for Volunteer Support |
|
| Volunteers staffing opportunities? | Yes |
| Volunteer maintenance opportunities? |
Yes
As was previously posted by Laurie Rankin:<br/>Ferncliff Forest is a not for profit that is open year round. There are lean-tos, picnic tables, a fishing pond, and other amenities at the location in addition to the fire tower. There are no paid staff in Ferncliff Forest. Volunteers could be utilized in a variety of areas in the forest.
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Photos |
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Photo courtesy of Edward Seifert |
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January 28, 2018: Laurie Rankin
Condition |
|
| Needs paint? | No |
| Shutters OK? | Not Applicable |
| Condition of wood OK? | Not Applicable |
| Stairs OK? | Yes |
| Glass intact? | No |
| Good condition? | Yes |
| Comments: | The condition of the fire tower remains good. It will need a coat of paint in the next few years. It needs a coat of paint soon inside the cab to cover over the large amount of graffiti that is present.Landing and stair treads are steel. |
Electronics and Enroachments |
|
| Are electronic sites enroaching on tower? | No |
Access and Signs |
|
| NHLR sign posted? | No |
| Directions to tower signed? | Yes |
| Comments? | Several trails lead to the fire tower. All appear to be well marked. |
Staffing |
|
| Staffed? | No Response |
Opportunities for Volunteer Support |
|
| Volunteers staffing opportunities? | Yes |
| Volunteer maintenance opportunities? |
Yes
Ferncliff Forest is a not for profit that is open year round. There are lean-tos, picnic tables, a fishing pond, and other amenities at the location in addition to the fire tower. There are no paid staff in Ferncliff Forest. Volunteers could be utilized in a variety of areas in the forest.
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Photos |
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June 24, 2016: Jan Braidech
Condition |
|
| Needs paint? | Yes |
| Shutters OK? | No Response |
| Condition of wood OK? | Yes |
| Stairs OK? | Yes |
| Glass intact? | No Response |
| Good condition? | Yes |
| Comments: | There is no glass at all in the cabin window frames but maybe for good reason as we noticed all the graffiti inside the cabin. (I selected "needs paint" that is to cover up graffiti.) You probably would have to keep replacing the glass though. <br /> <br />Not sure about shutters as it doesn't look like you've had them there before. |
Electronics and Enroachments |
|
| Are electronic sites enroaching on tower? | No |
| Other enroachments? | We saw the plaque about a dog that fell off the tower and died. Sad. I wouldn't take a chance bringing any pet up there. |
Access and Signs |
|
| NHLR sign posted? | No |
| Directions to tower signed? | Yes |
| Comments? | Not sure about any NHLR sign(s). We were so excited by the atmosphere of this particular park and were very anxious to get up the fire tower to take a load of photos. We are avid hikers and amateur photographers. |
Staffing |
|
| Staffed? | No |
Opportunities for Volunteer Support |
|
| Volunteers staffing opportunities? | No Response |
| Volunteer maintenance opportunities? | No Response |