The parking lot on Mill Brook Road.
The blue-blazed Dry Brook Ridge Trail.
The former vehicle fire road.
The trail register roughly a third of a mile into the trail.
The eastern (red-spotted) newt.
Follow the blue-blazed Dry Brook Ridge Trail.
POSTED signs line your path.
The trail intersection at roughly 2.25 miles into the trail.
Go right at the intersection to reach the fire tower.
Vehicle gate on the path to the fire tower.
Continuing up Balsam Lake Mountain.
A sign signals the 3,500-foot elevation mark.
The final ascent to the summit.
The Balsam Lake Fire Tower.
Begin your ascent to the top.
Climb 47 feet to the cab.
The top cab is locked, but there are still great views!
The surrounding Catskill Mountains.
Balsam fir dominates the landscape.
The view to the west.
The observer cabin below.
The view to the northeast.
A large cleared picnic area.
Back down the steps.
The observer cabin (circa 1960).
Heading south on the Balsam Lake Mountain Trail (Red).
Returning on the Dry Brook Ridge Trail (Blue).