Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Tower, a foggy Sunday

I drove out to Mill Brook Road on a rainy Sunday and walked to the Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Tower. Solo. Bug spray in the pack. No plan except the tower and a small picnic at the top.

The lot is the DEC parking area at Dry Brook Ridge Trailhead — the usual approach from Peek-a-Blue. I followed the blue Dry Brook Ridge Trail for about 2.25 miles, turned right on the red Balsam Lake Mountain Trail, and climbed the last 0.75 miles to the tower. Same way back. Six miles round trip, about 1,120 feet of elevation, moderate. The maps say 2.5 to 3.5 hours. I was about three, including lunch.

Rocky trail through mixed forest, wet stones and fallen leaves in the fog

It was foggy and raining the whole way. Leaves already on the rocks. The trail is a real trail — stone, roots, mud — not a sidewalk. Families with kids can do it. It is not too difficult overall. It does get a bit steeper toward the end, which is the part I would watch with little legs.

Wet stone steps on the trail, yellow leaves on the mud, fog in the trees

At the junction you turn right onto the red trail and the woods close in. Cell service is mostly gone. I had a bar in a couple of spots and nothing for the rest. Download a map before you leave the cabin.

Misty uphill trail under a green canopy

The tower sits at 3,723 feet. From the cab you are above the trees. On a clear day the views are amazing. Sunday was not a clear day. I climbed it anyway.

Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Tower in the fog, steel stairs and cab, balsams behind it

The fog sat on the balsams like a lid. You could still see the clearing below — picnic table, the roof of the forest.

Looking down from the fire tower through steel mesh to the picnic clearing in the fog

Fog sitting on the balsam canopy from the fire tower

I ate there, then walked down the same red and blue I had come up.

Ticks: none on me that day. I still sprayed. Bring spray.

This is the fire-tower hike from Peek-a-Blue — 15 to 20 minutes to the trailhead. The family list has the same mileage; this is just what the day actually felt like.

Route map for Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Tower via the Dry Brook Ridge Trail from Mill Brook Road: blue trail 2.25 miles to the junction, red trail 0.75 miles to the 3,723-foot tower, six miles round trip. — The Mill Brook Road route I used: blue to the junction, red to the tower, then the same way back. Planning only — carry the official DEC map.