Pinnacle Mountain Fire Tower via Fire Tower Road

Pinnacle Mountain hosts one of the nicest fire towers on the East Coast of the United States. The fire tower is relatively new, sturdy, and has a large 360 degree viewing area at the top. The tower overlooks the Downtown Johnson City area, Elizabethton, Erwin, and the rest of the Buffalo Mountain Range.

Four-wheel drive is required in order to access the tower from this direction, although it is possible to hike or mountain bike there from a second entrance off Interstate 26 exit 32. When accessing the tower from Dry Creek Road, turn onto a dirt road called Fire Tower Road and continue for 5.5 miles until you reach a parking area surrounded by a wooden fence. There is a steep, half-mile service road to the left that leads to the fire tower. The main hiking trail winds 1.5 miles around the mountain and is located on the other side of the wooden fence designated by a trail marker.

I would recommend taking the main hiking trail on the way up to the fire tower and taking the service road down. Bring a hammock if possible as the viewing platform of the fire tower has multiple anchor points. The gate at the bottom of Dry Creek Road is sometimes closed during the winter due to inclement weather.