The Fire Tower at Minnesota's St. Croix State Park

The fire tower at Minnesota’s St. Croix State Park was constructed in 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The fire tower was used to scan for fires for more than forty years; now the tower is open to visitors of the park.  There is a fee to enter the park; a day use or annual permit can be purchased at the park office. The fire tower is located about seven miles west of the park office. Visitors must travel on well-maintained winding gravel roads to reach the tower. There is parking available near the tower but it is limited.

Visitor can climb the 100-foot-high fire tower for 360-degree views of the surrounding forest and streams. The platform at the top of the tower is about seven by seven feet in size so it can be crowded, especially in autumn when the leaves are changing colors. There are no windows surrounding the platform so it can be quite windy even if it is calm at the base of the tower.