5 fire tower lookout points in Ontario that offer epic fall colour views
It's safe to say that the autumn season is one of the best times to get out and explore the province, with fall colours in Ontario giving you every reason to bundle up and hit the trails.
Now add high-perched vantage points, beyond your basic lookouts, which make for a pretty epic way to take in the season's changing colours, and you've got an extra dazzling view.
I'm talking about fire tower lookouts: historic structures once built to detect fires in local areas, which have since been abandoned and restored into observation spots for nature enthusiasts all around Ontario.
From panoramic views of Georgian Bay to lookout points towering over Lake of Bays, these fire tower hikes let you climb above the trees and take in some seriously scenic sights.
The Lookout Tower
Located along the La Verendyre Parkway, a three-km stretch of pebbled pathway, the Fort Frances Lookout Tower rises 100 ft. high and has been a tourist attraction since 1972.
The tower offers visitors a chance to take in the surrounding landscape of boreal and transitional hardwood trees from 30 m above ground level, set as a backdrop to the Rainy River, definitely making it a scenic spot to check out when the fall colours are on full display.
Fire Tower Lookout
The region touts this Fire Tower Lookout as the "highlight of Elliot Lake." Standing 100 ft. high, the lookout offers views of water as well as historic mining sites, a match made in heaven for history and nature buffs alike.
And if that's not enough of a view, look a little bit harder, and you can catch a glimpse of Manitoulin Island, too.
Set foot on the Fire Tower Lookout Trail, and the 1.1-km-long pathway will bring you directly to the landmark.
Tower Hill Lookout
Tower Hill Lookout rises 100 ft. above Parry Sound and offers vast views of Georgian Bay, framed by fiery sugar maples and amber oaks this time of year. The original tower was replaced and transformed into the current tourist attraction in 1975.
To enhance the experience, visitors can climb an extra 130 steps to the top to catch a glimpse of the Canadian Pacific Railway trestle bridge nestled in the surrounding expanse below.
Although you don't have to hike to the viewpoint, visitors can stroll through the Tower Hill Heritage Garden and find themselves at the foot of the structure. With Georgian Bay stretching out in the distance, the Tower Hill Lookout makes for a rather spectacular way to experience fall colours in Ontario.
Dorset Scenic Lookout Tower
The Dorset Scenic Lookout Tower has been part of the area's landscape for over a century, with the original tower built in 1922 and replaced in 1967 by the current structure.
Photo by alwayssunnyalwaysreal/Shutterstock
This tower stands 30 m high, but has an additional elevation that guests can climb. There's another observation deck a few metres above, which looks out over Lake of Bays, as well as the boreal and deciduous forests, creating a rainbow of fall colours to see.
The structure is located on the Dorset Tower Trail, which is anywhere between 1.5- and 2.3 km long, and each hiker must pay $5.58 to access the trail by foot. Cars and other motor vehicles are also welcome at an additional cost.
Temagami Fire Tower
Temagami Fire Tower, a popular tourist attraction since 1998, is the restored version of the original monument, which was built just a few metres away in 1910.
Located on the White Bear Forest Conservation Reserve, hikers can access the fire tower on the Temagami Fire Tower Trail. Standing 100 ft. high on the summit of the Caribou Mountains, the tower offers visitors a chance to get above the surrounding landscape and soak in the fall scenery.
So, if you're looking for a unique way to fill your feed with scenic views of fall colours in Ontario, you may just want to add these fire tower platforms to your autumn must-visit list.
@explore.ontario
