At the bottom: where to check which trails are open, and the seven alternative hikes the state recommends in place of Elmore and Spruce.
Hikers heading up Elmore Mountain or Spruce Mountain for the foliage this fall won’t get the view from the top. Both fire towers are expected to stay closed through October for safety repairs, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation announced Tuesday.
The trails close for shorter stretches. Helicopters will fly materials and equipment to each summit when the work starts and back down when it ends. Trails, tower areas and parking areas will close during those flights, starting in late September. Some trails and parking areas will reopen after a few days.
On Spruce Mountain in Plainfield, the 360-degree view comes from the tower. Trail Finder lists it as the payoff of the climb. Elmore has a lower lookout. The Fire Tower Trail passes the site of the old fire watcher’s cabin, which has a scenic viewpoint of its own. Whether hikers can reach it depends on which trails are open.
The work on both towers includes:
Fencing in key areas around the towers
Metal grating in place of the wooden stair treads, which the department says is safer and lasts longer
A fresh coat of paint on all the metal
Grounding to improve protection against lightning strikes
The project continues a restoration effort the department began in 2025. That year it announced $450,000 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for repairs to the Bear Hill tower in Allis State Park and the Burke Mountain tower. It also announced $60,000 from the federal Recreational Trails Program for safety railings on five towers: Spruce, Elmore, Okemo, Bald Mountain and Mt. Olga.
This year’s work is paid for with a match from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a National Park Service program that pays up to half of a project’s eligible costs. The state’s share comes through the Capital Construction Act and the Lands and Facilities Trust Fund. The department’s announcement does not say what this round costs.
Vermont’s fire towers were built to watch for wildfires when much of the state had been cleared for farming and the woods that remained were full of dry, dead trees. Today the remaining towers are hiking destinations.
Before you go: Elmore and Spruce closures
Check which trails are open: Trail Finder’s Elmore State Park and Spruce Mountain pages, plus any notices posted at the trailheads
Timing: Closures start in late September. Some trails and parking areas reopen after a few days. Both towers are expected to stay closed through October.
Instead of Spruce Mountain: Owls Head or Silver Ledge in Groton; Little Deer or Devil’s Hill in Peacham
Instead of Elmore Mountain: Belvidere Mountain in Lowell; Worcester Mountain in Worcester; Laraway Mountain in Belvidere/Johnson