Alabama · Hiking

Fire Tower Trail

1.6 mi
round trip
166 ft
climb
1,631 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Feb–May, Sep–Nov
best months

Fire Tower Trail is a short, easy hike in Monte Sano State Park in Alabama, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail is about 1.6 miles long and rises roughly 44 feet, making it a gentle out-and-back that fits easily into a longer day on the park's network of trails. The route starts and ends at nearly the same elevation, with the high point at about 1,631 feet and the low at about 1,589 feet. The steepest stretch comes around the 0.6-mile mark, with a grade of about 6 percent. Horses are not allowed on this trail. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show October highs around 74°F with lows near 47°F, while April runs about 71°F by day and 46°F at night. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the higher ground run cooler. Several other trails start within a short distance. South Plat to Mountain Mist, Rocky Nightmare and the Bucca Trail are each about 0.2 miles away, and the South Plateau Loop is about 0.6 miles off.

  • Best time to go · Feb–May, Sep–Nov

    Best time to visit Fire Tower Trail

    Best months: February–May and September–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      50° / 30°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      55° / 32°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      63° / 39°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      71° / 46°

      10 wet

    5. May

      78° / 56°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      86° / 64°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      88° / 68°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      88° / 67°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      84° / 59°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      74° / 47°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      62° / 36°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      53° / 32°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Owens Cross Roads 3s, AL, 12.9 mi away at 590 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

South Plateau LoopPhoto: dmtilley, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

South Plateau Loop

Next door

3.36-mile out-and-back trail in Alabama with 842 ft elevation gain.

Stone Cuts TrailPhoto: bionicteaching, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Stone Cuts Trail

~2 min drive

Short Alabama trail featuring scenic cuts and geological interest.

HIKE

Sinks Trail

~1 min drive

1.34-mile out-and-back trail in Alabama with 381 ft elevation gain

HIKE

Flat Rock Trail

~4 min drive

8.78-mile out-and-back hike in Alabama with 1,649 ft of elevation gain.

Goat TrailPhoto: bionicteaching, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Goat Trail

~1 min drive

2.45-mile out-and-back hike in Alabama with 653 ft gain

Dummy Line TrailPhoto: dmtilley, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Dummy Line Trail

~3 min drive

1.34-mile out-and-back trail in Alabama with 573 ft gain.

HIKE

Panther Knob Trail

~2 min drive

0.40-mile out-and-back trail in Alabama's state park system with 191 ft of elevation gain.

Logan Point TrailPhoto: dmtilley, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Logan Point Trail

~2 min drive

1.36-mile out-and-back trail to Logan Point in Alabama with 572 ft gain.

Mountain Mist TrailPhoto: dmtilley, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mountain Mist Trail

Next door

2.89-mile out-and-back trail in Alabama with 698 ft gain and 879 ft loss.

HIKE

Mckay Hollow Trail

~2 min drive

2.38-mile out-and-back trail in Alabama with 751 ft gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors