Exploring Eleven Connecticut Observation Towers
High up in the sky, Connecticut has several observation towers where visitors can experience amazing views. I’ve organized information from eleven towers in order of their elevation from sea level, highest to lowest.
Haystack – Norfolk
A 34-foot high stone tower stands at the summit of Haystack Mountain at 1,716 feet. The tower is located at Haystack Mountain State Park and is about 0.34 miles away from a parking area via the Yellow Trail. The tower gives commanding views of the Berkshires, peaks in Massachusetts, New York, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and Long Island Sound. The interior road of the park is open to vehicles from the third weekend in April to November 1st . During the rest of the year, the park is a walk-in facility with limited parking at the entrance. It is open daily 8 a.m. to sunset.
Cunningham and Mohawk – Cornwall
Mohawk State Forest is home to the Cunningham and Mohawk Towers , which are located off Toumey Road.
At 1,600 feet, Cunningham Tower is a 30-foot tall round stone tower with a large fireplace. While it had a second level, today it is completely gone.
The 66-foot-high Mohawk Fire Tower is at 1,683 feet but is currently not accessible. It is the fourth at this location.
There is parking right next to Mohawk Tower and another parking lot about 0.30 miles from the Cunningham Tower.
Gates to the park are open April to November. Forest recreation areas are open 8 a.m. to sunset while other forest areas are open one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
There are no parking fees.
Mount Tom – Litchfield
Mount Tom State Park features a 34-foot tall stone lookout tower at 1,325 feet. It is accessible from a 1-mile tower trail rising 500 feet . While on clear days, Long Island and the outskirts of New York City can be seen with binoculars, even on hazy days, there are views of Bear Mountain and Mounts Everett and Race.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the park charges $6 for residents and $10 for non-residents on weekdays and $9 for residents and $15 for non-residents on weekends. It is open daily 8 a.m. to sunset.
Soapstone – Somers
Be sure to check out the 30-foot-tall wooden Soapstone Mountain Observation Tower at Shenipsit State Forest .
The lookout tower is located about a quarter mile away from the parking lot near Gulf Road.
The tower is at 1,075 feet and offers views of the Connecticut River Valley and the Springfield skyline.
The forest is open year-round one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset and there are no parking fees.
Heublein – Simsbury
The 165-foot Heublein Tower stands at 1,000 feet in Simsbury in the Talcott Mountain State Park . It is accessible on foot from any direction and it’s 120 steps up to the observation room at the top of the tower.
It was built as the summer home of Gilbert Heublin in 1914. During its ownership by the Hartford Times, it was visited by two future presidents, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan. While it was slated for private residential development, private conservationists and the state and federal governments successfully brought the tower and park under public ownership in 1965.
The tower is open for tours from May thru October offering views of Mount Monadnock, eighty miles away in New Hampshire, the Berkshires, and Long Island Sound. The park is open 8 a.m. to sunset and there is no parking fee.
Castle Craig – Meriden
At 976 feet, the 32-foot stone tower is one of the few towers in Connecticut with a road right next to it. The tower is part of the 1,800-acre Hubbard Park named after Walter Hubbard. The castle gives views of New Haven, Long Island Sound, the foothills of the Berkshires, the Hartford skyline, and the summit of Mount Tom in Massachusetts.
According to Connecticut Museum Quest, “the inspiration for the tower’s design has been disputed for years. Some say, Walter Hubbard, a world traveler was inspired by a Norman French tower; others by a 12th Century Turkish tower on the Daube; still others maintain that it was patterned upon an ancient tower in Cragellachie, Scotland.”
Reservoir Road, which brings travelers to the tower, is only open April to October from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. There is no parking charge.
Sleeping Giant – Hamden
The 30-foot Sleeping Giant State Park Observation Tower in Hamden, built at 739 feet, offers great views of central Connecticut. Be sure to read this blog about the stone tower. From Memorial Day weekend to October 31, parking on the weekends cost $9 for residents and $15 for non-residents. After 4 p.m., it is $5 for residents and $6 for non-residents. The park is open 8 a.m. to sunset.
Orenaug – Woodbury
An 80-foot steel observation tower can be found at the Orenaug Park on a 540-foot hilltop. The Orenaug Park Fire Tower was built in 1911 as a lookout for fires in Pomperaug River Valley. There are two trails that take visitors to the tower. The park is open from dawn to dusk and admission is free.
Southford Falls – Oxford
A 25-foot metal watchtower stands on a small hill at Southford Hills State Park . Due to overgrowing trees on the east and north, the views are limited to the south and west. The tower is accessible off the Larken Bridle Trail . The park is open 8 a.m. to sunset and there are no parking fees.
Camp Columbia – Morris
Like Mohawk Fire Tower, Camp Columbia State Park Tower in Morris is closed to the public. However, a toppled over picnic table to an open window led to some unethical exploring at this tower. There are concrete steps that circle the outside of the tower with a couple steps that have gone missing.
The main entrance to the tower on the ground level is blocked by metal bars . The stone tower, also referred to as a water tower, was built in 1942 on a small hill. It was a gift from the Class of 1906 Columbia University Engineering School, which used to call this park their campus.
Visitors can legally view the outside of the tower on the Green Trail when the park is open from 8 a.m. to one half-hour after sunset. Parking is near the main entrance and there is no admission fees.
