Olson Fire Tower
An old fire lookout tower on a mountaintop west of the Blackwater Canyon, where climbing the roughly 30-meter steel frame gives a 360-degree view of the Monongahela National Forest.
The Olson Fire Tower was built in 1963 on a mountaintop in the Monongahela National Forest, east of Parsons. The steel-frame tower is about 30 meters high, and you can climb stairs to the top platform for a 360-degree view of the Blackwater Canyon and the layered ridges. It is most spectacular during autumn foliage. Drive about 3 km along gravel Forest Road 18 to reach the base. It pairs well with sights on the southern side of the Blackwater Canyon. The tower is windy and the stairs are steep, so those with a fear of heights should be cautious. Do not climb during thunderstorms. Admission is free.
Opening hours
Open all day (outside snow season)
Nearby sights
- Lindy Point Overlook
- Douglas Falls
- Elakala Falls
- Thomas, West Virginia
- Blackwater Falls
- Davis, West Virginia
- Canaan Valley Resort State Park
- Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge