The Red Hill Fire Tower is located within the 29,200 acre Sundown Wild Forest and was constructed in 1921. The fire tower is sixty feet tall and has nine flights of stairs.  The tower is listed on the National Historic Lookout Register, and has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. This tower has a nice view of the Catskill high peaks to the west and north, and the Rondout Reservoir is visible to the southeast.

This was the last fire tower staffed in the Catskills. Because the old jeep road that was used to access the summit can no longer be used, a new trail was blazed to the tower. The well graded new trail to the tower (1.4 miles long) is now marked all the way from Dinch Road with yellow blazes. The trail gains almost 900 feet in elevation as it climbs to the fire tower. 

The DEC and restoration committee successfully completed the last piece of the puzzle by providing a small trail head parking lot on state land alongside Dinch Road. The tower was successfully reopened on July 15, 2000.

Red Hill Fire Tower Trailhead

Directions to the Trailhead on Dinch Road
(Yellow-blazed Red Hill Tower Trail)

From NY 17 - Take exit #105 in Monticello. Follow NY 42 North to Grahamsville. Make a left onto NY 55 West. In Curry, turn right (north) onto Sullivan County Route 19 towards Claryville. Proceed through Claryville, and make a right onto Red Hill Road. Follow until you reach an intersection with Dinch Road. Make the sharp left onto Dinch Road and follow to the trailhead, which will be on the right.

From NY 28 - Proceed to hamlet of Big Indian, located west of Shandaken and east of Pine Hill. Turn south on Ulster County Route 47 (Oliverea Road). Go approximately 21 miles, passing by the Frost Valley YMCA, until you reach a three-way intersection. Make a left towards Claryville on Sullivan County Route 19 and make a right onto Red Hill Road. Follow until you reach an intersection with Dinch Road. Make the sharp left onto Dinch Road and follow to the trailhead, which will be on the left. Parking area will be on the right, and the trailhead is across the road.

GPS Coordinates to the Trailhead: N41 55.769 W74 30.397

NOTE - Dinch Road is a dirt road.

Another popular hike in Sundown Wild Forest is the rugged, long hike to the spectacular views on Ashokan High Point.  The trailhead is found across the road from Kanape Brook along County Route 42 aka Peekamoose Road.  The GPS coordinates for the trailhead are N41 56.106 W74 19.721 for those who have a GPS devise.

The trail follows red DEC discs.  There is a loop trail that circles the summit.  The junction of the loop is done at 2.7 miles.  Traveling along the right trail, the 3080 foot summit of Ashokan High Point is reached at 3.8 miles.  As the loop trail continues left, you'll soon pass more viewpoints.

The loop ends at the main trail after 6.3 miles and the hike ends back at the trailhead at 9.0 miles.  There is an overall elevation gain of 2200 feet for this hike.  There are acres of blueberry bushes along the trail for those who hike the trail when the berries are ripe.  There are literally fields of blueberries that await to be picked and eaten.

You'll find great pictures of this hike from the AndyArthur.org website.  The Long Path travels through Sundown Wild Forest as well. 

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