Cathedral Rock Fire Tower
June 21, 2025 | Wanakena, NY The background: While I have technically “completed” the Fire Tower Challenge in terms of the requirements to do so, there are still a few towers that I have yet to discover. The majority of the tower trails I have remaining are out of my usual driving and visiting path from the Northway, so I was excited when we had a day with no plans whatsoever and time to drive over to the Cranberry Lake region to check out this tower trail.
You can learn more about the NY Fire Tower Challenge on the ADK website, here.
Getting there: If you would like an address to plug into your maps, I would recommend SUNY ESF Ranger School (257 Ranger School Road, Wanakena, NY.) You will follow the signs for the school, but instead of going to the main building, you’ll make a left into a parking lot area near the sports field. You should see porta potties in the lot which indicates you’re in the right place. Once parked, walk past the gate and pick up the trail to the right (there is a trail register to sign in.)
For reference, the trailhead is a ~50-minute drive from Tupper Lake and a 1 hour and 30-minute drive from Lake Placid.
The hike: This out-and-back hike via the Latham Trail is approximately 2.2 miles (3.54 km) with an elevation gain of ~250 feet (76.2m.) It’s a nice intro hike to the Adirondacks lower peaks or is one to do if you don’t have a lot of time on a given day. While there is no view from the summit itself, you’ll get some beautiful views upon ascending the cab of the tower. Right before you reach the tower, there is a picnic table and area where you can enjoy a meal or simply take a minute to absorb the beauty of the forest surrounding you. There is nothing technically difficult about the trail and you should have no issues following it. There are also markers and different information along the way, so take your time either on the ascent or descent to read about the different elements.
An ideal day and what you can pair this hike with:
You can explore different trails in the Cranberry Lake region (I have not done this but plan to come back one day to do so) or there are a few shorter trail options on your way back towards Lake Placid if you’re headed that way:
Tupper Lake Triad hikes (includes Mount Arab, another Fire Tower)
Happy Hiking! 
