Near Hadley in Saratoga County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
(Hadley Mountain) Fire Tower
Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, June 30, 2008
1. Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Marker
Erected of wood in 1916
Steel tower erected in 1920
Cabin built to house ranger
Closed 1990, restored and
staffed summers from 1996
Erected 1999 by the Town of Hadley.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1916.
Location. 43° 22.327′ N, 73° 57.041′ W. Marker is near Hadley, New York, in Saratoga County. It is on Tower Road, on the right when traveling south. The Marker is at the beginning of the Trail, at the edge of the trailhead parking area. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hadley NY 12835, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York, in the Capital District, and in the Albany Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Great North Woods, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: John P. Bowman (approx. 3.7 miles away); a different marker also named John P. Bowman (approx. 3.7 miles away); History of Stony Creek (approx. 3.8 miles away); Dam Built 1930 (approx. 3.9 miles away); Conklingville (approx. 4 miles away); First Christian Church (approx. 4 miles away); Stony Creek War Memorials (approx. 4 miles away); Warren County (approx. 4 miles away).
More about this marker. The top of the marker says "Saratoga County 2000". This is one of a series
this page online
Regarding (Hadley Mountain) Fire Tower. The 2,653 foot tall Hadley Mountain is in the Wilcox Lake Wild Forest. The Wilcox Lake Wild Forest is located in the southeastern area of the Adirondack Park and is made up of approximately 140,000 acres of Forest Preserve lands in Warren, Hamilton, Saratoga and Fulton Counties. The unit offers many recreational opportunities, including hiking to the fire tower on Hadley Mountain, camping on Wilcox Lake, and ice fishing on Garnet Lake. Hadley Mountain and the Fire Tower are in northern Saratoga County, New York.
In the early 20th Century many fires raged through the forests of New York State. In 1903, 643 forest fires destroyed 464,000 acres of land in the Adirondacks and Catskills. Again in 1908, a dry year, there were 605 fires which ruined 368,000 acres of timber statewide with a cost of $178,992 to fight the fires in the Adirondacks. At that time fires were caused by sparks from steam locomotives, burning brush for agricultural purposes, hunters, fishermen, and campers campfires, smokers and arsonists. The terrible fires of 1908 created a public demand for fire protection resulting in the Forest Fish & Game Commission implementing a new state fire fighting system, which included mountain top observation points. By the end of 1910 there
Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, September 1, 2025
2. (Hadley Mountain) Fire Tower Marker
In 1916 the state of New York purchased 10 steel towers to replace wooden structures. At that time the average cost of a fire tower was about $530, not including labor. The Hadley Mountain tower was installed in 1917. (Both the Marker, and Saratoga County website state 1920). In 1919 the state replaced the dangerous outside ladder on the fire towers with a system of stairs.
In 1917 the state built the observer cabin to replace older facilities at Hadley. During the winter of 1949-50 the Conservation Department had materials hauled on a sled by a team of horses to the summit to build a new observer cabin, the one in place today, which is of a standard design adopted by the state in 1922.
Records indicate that in 1921 Hadley Mountain reported 24 fires and had 155 visitors during the season which typically lasted from April first until the end of October.
In the 1970s the state reduced the number of operating fire towers from 102 statewide to 39. It had been determined that aircraft were more economical and the state saved a quarter of a million dollars using 23 aerial detection flights.
In the early 1980s a study determined that only 4% of the forest fires
Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, June 30, 2008
3. Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Marker
The orange sign on the left forbids ATV use in the area. The sign on the rights says,"Wilcox Lake Wild Forest, Adirondack Preserve, Hadley Mountain Trailhead".
In 1990 the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) closed the last four fire towers in the Adirondacks, including the tower at Hadley Mountain, which was closed on August 24th. In the early 90s the Hadley Fire Tower Committee was organized by local residents. They worked with the members of the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) and DEC personnel to restore the fire tower in the mid to late 90s. Each year since 1996 the committee hires a summit steward who lives in the observers cabin from July 4th through Labor Day, on duty Thursdays through Mondays. The steward greets summit visitors and tells them about the history of the tower and points out items of interest including other mountain peaks, and answers questions. Visitors are welcome to climb the stairs and visit the cab at the top of the fire tower which offers tremendous views of the Great Sacandaga Reservoir, the Mohawk Valley, the Catskills and the Heldeburg Escarpment. To the east are the Willsboro Mountain Range, Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Massachusetts Berkshires, and some of the Adirondack High Peaks can be seen to the north.
From the trailhead at the parking lot on Tower Road
Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, June 30, 2008
4. Observer's / Summit Steward's Cabin
This is the steward's cabin built in 1950. The Fire tower can be seen in the background.
Also see . . . Hadley Mountain Fire Tower. (Submitted on July 29, 2020, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York.)
Additional keywords. Sacandaga Adirondack Mountains Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Hadley Fire Tower Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Hike Fire Tower Road
Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, June 30, 2008
5. Hadley Mountain Fire Tower
"Described by Coast and Geodetic Survey 1942 (KBJ) The station is located in Hadley Township, about 6.5 Miles W and 4 Miles N of the Hadley Post Office, on the summit of the W Mountain of the Hadley Mountain. It is a 4-legged steel structure that is 47.5 feet high with a glass enclosed cab. The apex of the roof was the point observed." - National Geodetic Survey Sheet. The guy wires help stabilize the tower as it can be dangerously windy at times.
Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, June 30, 2008
6. Benchmark, Hadley Mountain
A 1942 U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Reference Mark, i.e. "Bench Mark" is afixed to the bare stone near the fire tower. Perminent ID (PID): OD1723 The arrow points toward Wells Peak.
Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, June 30, 2008
7. View From Hadley Mountain Fire Tower
The view to the west reveals the upper arm of the Great Sacandaga Reservoir near the town of Day and hamlet of Conklingville.
Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, June 30, 2008
8. Trail Register & Hiker's Advisory
This map is posted beside the trailhead register, with notes that detail the trail to the mountain top.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 12, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. This page has been viewed 6,793 times since then and 64 times this year. Last updated on July 17, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. Photos: 1. submitted on July 12, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 2. submitted on September 9, 2025, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on July 12, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
