Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States West Virginia Dunmore Thorny Mountain Fire Tower
AO Edited

Thorny Mountain Fire Tower

This lookout tower built in the 1930s is now an in-demand cabin with what might be the best view of the Seneca State Forest.

Dunmore, West Virginia

Added By
Ashawnta Jackson
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  Courtesy West Virginia Department of Tourism
Thorny Mountain Fire Tower at sunset.   West Virginia State Parks/Public Domain
Thorny Mountain Fire Tower   Courtesy WV Tourism
Thorny Mountain Fire Tower   West Virginia State Parks/Public Domain
View from the top of the tower.   Courtesy WV Tourism
Thorny Mountain Fire Tower   Courtesy WV Tourism
Thorny Mountain Fire Tower  
Thorny Mountain Fire Tower   Courtesy WV Tourism
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In 1933, Camp Seneca was established in West Virginia by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The program was established in the wake of the Great Depression as a jobs program for unemployed men. The work was often labor-intensive, as men were put to work building trucking roads, planting trees, and carving out hiking trails. They built state and national parks, and dotted them with structures—cabins, bridges, dams, and fire towers. Today, tucked away among the 12,884 acres of what is now Seneca State Forest, one of those fire towers now hosts campers in its second life as one of the forest’s overnight accommodations.

The Thorny Mountain Fire Tower was built in 1935 as protection and housing for fire lookouts, people who scanned the wilderness for signs of forest fires. As the years passed, the tower wasn’t needed for its original use and was decommissioned in 1988. It sat empty for years, falling into disrepair. But one of the state’s park officials had an idea: to turn it into one of the state’s most unusual accommodations. It was completely refurbished, taking six years of work to complete. That work included cutting down the trees that had grown and surrounded the tower, obstructing the view. The construction also included a new roof, new stairs, replaced windows, ceiling, and a new catwalk that circles the tower.

The tower opened up to visitors in 2015. When it opened, not only did it allow campers the opportunity to sleep 65 feet in the air surrounded by a (hopefully) star-lit sky, it also became the only fire tower east of the Mississippi available for vacation rentals.

The tower is sparse; just two cots, and room for four. There’s no electricity or running water. But it’s not the sleeping arrangements that bring the crowds. It’s the sky, mountains, and trees stretched out over the West Virginia's oldest and biggest state forest. When the tower opened up to campers, a contest to pick its first overnight guest received over 6,000 entries.

The interest hasn’t died down over the years. Would-be campers reserve months in advance. In fact, the park recommends up to a year in advance to be sure you get your spot. The tower is open from May 1 to October 31, but as Superintendent Jeff Layfield told the Charleston Gazette-Mail, “We have a waiting list starting a minute after midnight on May 1.”

Related Tags

Fires Fire Fighters Forests Towers Places To Stay

Know Before You Go

Open between May and October. It is often booked, and it is recommended that reservations are made up to a year in advance. There is no electricity or running water in the tower, but there is a campfire ring, picnic table, and outhouse at the tower’s base.

Community Contributors

Added By

Ashawnta

Edited By

evanbonham, Michelle Cassidy

  • evanbonham
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

August 31, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://wvstateparks.com/park/seneca-state-forest/
  • https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/off-the-beaten-path-state-park-systems-off-grid-getaways-take-social-distancing-to-next/article_74d3d7d4-6936-50ee-8342-2f342e16ac2d.html
  • https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/fire-tower-camping-is-off-to-a-hot-start-at-seneca-state-forest/article_f6b89afe-34ef-575f-9447-a57d7dcac9c2.html
  • https://wvnewdealtrail.com/seneca-state-forest/
Thorny Mountain Fire Tower
Dunmore, West Virginia, 24934
United States
38.313453, -79.945894
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Cass Scenic Railroad

Cass, West Virginia

miles away

Green Bank: A Town for 'Wi-Fi Refugees'

Green Bank, West Virginia

miles away

Green Bank Telescope

Green Bank, West Virginia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of West Virginia

West Virginia

United States

Places 106
Stories 10

Nearby Places

Cass Scenic Railroad

Cass, West Virginia

miles away

Green Bank: A Town for 'Wi-Fi Refugees'

Green Bank, West Virginia

miles away

Green Bank Telescope

Green Bank, West Virginia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of West Virginia

West Virginia

United States

Places 106
Stories 10

Related Stories and Lists

The United States of Camping

List

By Michelle Cassidy

Related Places

  • Mountain, Wisconsin

    Mountain Fire Lookout Tower

    Once part of an extensive network of fire towers, this is one of the few remaining in this Wisconsin forest.

  • Big Walker Mountain Fire Tower

    Wytheville, Virginia

    Big Walker Lookout

    A 100-foot metal tower and swinging bridge that provides stunning views of mountains in five states.

  • Okemo Fire Tower, looking north

    Ludlow, Vermont

    Okemo Fire Tower

    A 60-foot-tall tower provides unparalleled views of the southern Green Mountains.

  • The Dude Fire Memorial Grove in Bonita Creek Estates.

    Payson, Arizona

    Dude Fire Memorial Grove

    This small memorial is dedicated to the Perryville State Prison firefighters who perished fighting the Dude Fire in 1990.

  • Tusayan Lookout Tree in 2018

    Grand Canyon Village, Arizona

    Kaibab Lookout Trees

    The remnants of a creative early method of wildfire prevention.

  • Oakland, New Jersey

    Van Slyke Castle Ruins

    The remains of a century-old mansion that met a fiery demise years after it was deserted.

  • The tower in mid summer

    Chatsworth, New Jersey

    Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower

    How this Pine Barrens hill got its name is uncertain, but on a good day the view from the fire tower is crystal clear.

  • Port Townsend’s Fire Bell Tower.

    Port Townsend, Washington

    Fire Bell Tower

    Built in 1890, this is the last remaining wooden fire bell tower in the United States.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.