Iowa’s ONLY Fire Tower

Iowa has nearly three million acres of forests and trees along with ten state forest areas. Yellow River State Forest in the Northeast corner of the state features miles upon miles of trails for hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, mountain biking...and maybe even Bigfoot? (below)

This State Forest also is the home to the ONLY Fire Tower in the entire state.

At one time there were more than 8,000 fire lookouts in 49 states according to firetower.org. Today fewer than 2,000 lookouts remain. (Kansas is the only state to never have a Fire Lookout)

In the nearly 9,000-acre Yellow River State Forest in Allamakee County you’ll find this now run-down 10 story-tall Fire Tower that was a gift from the Forest Service in 1963. It was built by the Aermotor Windmill Company in Chicago.

It was used to spot wildfire smoke and then pinpoint the location of the fire.

But, due to its age and safety reasons, it is closed to the public, but you can still get close to the tower.

The fire tower can still be seen to the left as you travel south from Waukon toward Marquette on Highway 76.

Yellow River State Forest has also been the featured on “Finding Bigfoot” on Animal Planet.