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In West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, you can spend the night in a retired fire lookout. The Red Oak Fire Lookout puts you in a small 14-by-14-foot cab on top of an 80-foot steel tower, with windows on all four sides and forest stretching in every direction. It sits at about 3,704 feet, roughly 12 miles south of Cowen in Webster County.
A Fire Tower with a History
The first Red Oak Fire Tower was a wooden tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934. In 1964, it was replaced with the current metal tower, an improved design for its time. Like the other fire towers on the forest, it was retired by the late 1970s, and today it’s been opened up for overnight stays, so guests can enjoy the same views the fire watchers once had.
A Simple Cab with Big Views
Inside, the cab is simple: two twin cots, folding chairs, a small table, lights, and an electric outlet. It’s a stay for two people who care more about the view than the amenities. The real attraction is outside the windows: sunrise over the mountains, wildlife, and dark skies for stargazing.
The Campsite Below
At the base of the tower, there’s a campsite with picnic tables, a fire ring with a grill, a lantern post, and 30- and 50-amp hookups for an RV. There’s a vault toilet on site, but no drinking water, so bring your own. Nearby, the Cranberry and Williams Rivers offer trout fishing, and the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center is about 20 miles away.
Stay Details
- Location: Gauley Ranger District, Monongahela National Forest, about 12 miles south of Cowen, Webster County, West Virginia
- Stay: 14′ x 14′ lookout cab atop an 80-foot metal tower (built 1964 on the site of a 1934 CCC tower)
- Elevation: about 3,704 feet
- Sleeps: 2 on twin cots
- Amenities: folding chairs, small table, lights, electric outlet; vault toilet; no drinking water
- Campsite: picnic tables, fire ring/grill, lantern post, 30- and 50-amp RV hookups
- Pets: not allowed in the tower cab
- Season: mid-April through November 30
- Check-in 3 pm; check-out 11 am
What Makes This Lookout Special
- Sleeping 80 feet up in a historic fire tower.
- 360-degree views over the Monongahela National Forest.
- Dark skies for stargazing.
More lookout and tower stays: the 1934 Calpine Lookout in Tahoe National Forest and the Fire Tower Chalet in Pennsylvania. For more unusual stays, see our quirky tiny house rentals.
Learn More
Red Oak Fire Lookout
More info: USDA Forest Service announcement
Contact: Monongahela National Forest, 304-846-2695
Photos: USDA Forest Service / Recreation.gov.
Highlights
- Sleep in a cab atop an 80-foot fire tower
- Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia
- Historic site dating to a 1934 CCC tower
- Campsite with RV hookups below
- Bring your own water
Explore More
- Calpine Lookout: Sleep in a 1934 Fire Lookout Tower in Tahoe National Forest
- Fire Tower Chalet Cabin in Pennsylvania
- Stargazing Cabin in Springdale, Arkansas
- Top Quirky Tiny House Rentals
- Cabins
Would you climb 80 feet to sleep in a fire lookout?
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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Alex
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