As summer unwinds, now is the perfect time to work on the 2026 Catskills Fire Tower Challenge. The Catskills Fire Tower Challenge encourages experienced hikers to visit several of the region’s remaining fire towers located on Balsam Lake Mountain (Hardenburgh), Hunter Mountain (Hunter), Overlook Mountain (Woodstock), Red Hill Mountain (Denning), and Tremper Mountain (Shandaken), Upper Esopus Fire Tower at the Catskills Visitor Center, and the newest towers added in 2026, Mount Utsayantha (Stamford), and Bramley Mountain (Delhi).
The rules to participate are simple:
• Visit all eight Catskill Fire Towers between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026.
• Submit a log of your completed hikes along with one favorite photo online or by mail by January 5, 2027.
Participants will receive a commemorative patch and certificate for completing the challenge and will be entered to win hiking related prizes.
For more information visit https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/hiking/catskills-fire-tower-challenge
