DEC Announces 2025 Catskill Fire Tower Challenge

CATSKILLS REGION — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced the 2025 Catskills Fire Tower Challenge to highlight the world-class tourism destinations and recreational opportunities in the Catskill Park. Launched in 2019, the Challenge draws participants from every region of New York, as well as 10 other states and countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom. This challenge also complements Governor Hochul’s “Get Offline, Get Outside” initiative to promote physical and mental health by encouraging kids and families to put down their phones and computers, take a break from social media, and enjoy recreation and the outdoors.

“DEC is excited to renew the Catskills Fire Tower Challenge for 2025 to highlight the spectacular vistas found in this majestic park and introduce more New Yorkers and visitors to this awe-inspiring experience,” said Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar. “The Catskills Fire Tower Challenge has drawn thousands of outdoor enthusiasts from all over New York and beyond to the unparalleled experience of viewing the natural wonders of the Catskill Mountains from one of the park's historic fire towers. The Fire Tower Challenge is introducing the next generation of environmental stewards to the Catskills and helping more people appreciate and enjoy all that the mountains and their surrounding communities have to offer.” 

For nearly a century, observers watched the forests of New York State, including the Catskill and Adirondack Forest Preserve, from more than 100 fire towers perched atop the highest peaks to search for dangerous, telltale signs of forest fires. This Catskills Fire Tower Challenge highlights the park’s remaining public fire towers.  

The Catskills Fire Tower Challenge encourages experienced hikers to visit 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), as well as the newest and sixth fire tower opened in fall 2019. The 80-foot-tall Upper Esopus Fire Tower is located at the Catskills Visitor Center in Mt. Tremper and provides an opportunity for visitors who may not otherwise be able to undertake more challenging hikes to experience a fire tower in the Catskills high peaks.  

Catskill Center Executive Director Jeff Senterman said, “With six very different experiences along the way, the Catskills Fire Tower Challenge welcomes visitors and residents alike to get out and explore the Catskill Park and have some amazing views and the opportunity for education and interpretation along the way. As the home of the Upper Esopus Fire Tower at the Catskills Visitor Center, the volunteers of the Catskill Fire Tower Project, and of the Catskill Stewards, the Catskill Center is always excited to be able to welcome, inform, and assist those who are coming to the Catskill Park to enjoy our amazing public lands and our communities. We value our partnership with the NYSDEC that makes all of this collaborative work to protect, preserve, and enrich the Catskill Park possible and look forward to welcoming the participants in the 2025 Catskills Fire Tower Challenge to the Catskill Park.

For more information about the Catskills and to experience the easiest-to-reach fire tower in the region, visit the Catskills Visitor Center on Route 28 in the heart of the Catskill Park. Grounds are open to the public every day during daylight hours. Situated on 60 acres of forest, fields, and wetlands, the Catskills Visitor Center offers a visitor information center, gift shop, 1.5 miles of peaceful nature trails (including ADA-accessible trails), picnic areas, a covered pavilion, wildlife viewing, Esopus Creek access, and much more. Visitors can connect with staff and find valuable information, maps, and advice about all the activities available in the 700,000-acre forest preserve.  

Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, “New York State's Catskills region is a natural treasure, and the Fire Tower Challenge offers visitors and residents alike another great way to experience it. I LOVE NY encourages participants to complement their hikes and fire tower climbs with other local outdoor activities like fishing, rafting, skiing and camping, plus other world-class regional amenities like cozy lodging, farm-to-table dining, historic sites and unique small businesses. Whether for a weekend getaway or an extended vacation, the Catskills provide so many reasons why it's easy to love New York.”

To participate in the challenge, hikers must hike to all six DEC-owned fire towers in the Catskills between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2025. Once completed, participants submit a log of their completed hikes along with a favorite photo to CatskillsChallenge@dec.ny.gov, or via mail. Entries must be postmarked by Jan. 5, 2026. Full details can be found at the 2025 Catskills Fire Tower Challenge page.

All participants who complete the challenge will receive a letter and a commemorative Catskills Fire Tower Challenge patch designed with the 2024 completion year. The first 1,000 finishers will also receive a one-year subscription to DEC’s Conservationist magazine and a gift subscription for a second person of their choice. Again, this year, finishers who completed the challenge multiple times will receive an additional commemorative Catskills Fire Tower Challenge prize. Upon completion, finishers will be able to download a customizable certificate and will be eligible to win prizes after the challenge period is closed. Finishers will be entered into a grand prize drawing. To promote responsible recreation, DEC will offer a bonus prize entry to finishers who also submit a photo of themselves practicing Leave No Trace™ while participating in the Catskills Fire Tower Challenge (e.g., picking up litter, carrying out, planning and preparing for their hikes, staying on the trail). 

The 2024 challenge, which continues through the end of the year, has drawn more than 470 finishers to date. With DEC giving participants a full year to complete the challenge, hikers can take their time. Hikers who would like to get a jump start on the Challenge for the new year can complete their first fire tower of the Challenge as part of a guided First Day Hike. The Catskill Mountain Club, in partnership with DEC, will host a guided fire tower hike on Jan. 1, 2025, at the Mount Tremper Fire Tower. Preregistration is required for the hike. For additional details and to register, visit the First Day Hikes 2025 page.  

Stewardship of the fire towers is a partnership with the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development. The Catskill Center, through the Catskill Fire Tower Project, manages six fire towers in the Catskill Park for public access and interpretation under a Volunteer Stewardship Agreement with DEC. Dedicated volunteers help maintain and staff each of the fire towers on weekends and holidays throughout the summer and fall seasons.  

Under the Adventure NY initiative, DEC is making strategic investments to expand access to healthy, active, outdoor recreation, connect more New Yorkers and visitors to nature and the outdoors, protect natural resources, and boost local economies. Read more about Adventure NY on DEC’s website.