Disclosure: This content may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy .

A steep lollipop route. Trailhead info at bottom of this post.

Stissing Mountain protrudes beautifully from the middle of the Hudson Valley flats. Situated smack between The Catskills to the west and the Taconics to the east, Stissing’s fire tower offers superb views of both ranges.

Also on view are two large ponds below, Stissing and Thompson. Thompson Pond is a glacial kettle pond, a National Natural Landmark that’s home to more than 387 species of plants, 162 species of bird, and 27 types of mammals.

This whole area is special. Visit any time of year.

Wildlife is abundant on the mountain, which hunters enjoy, and there’s rich mixed forest all over. You may notice some American Chestnut rootstock hanging on, until a cure is found for the dreaded blight .

This short classic route to Stissing Mountain’s fire tower is do-able in an hour, or maybe a little more.

The route shown here is designated “classic” because a new, very fun trail is currently being constructed up Stissing’s steep southeastern slope. See Stissing from Thompson Pond .

Get access to hyper-detailed trail guides, insider tips, and expert advice. Join a vibrant community of like-minded hikers, receive exclusive content, and embark on unforgettable outdoor adventures. Whether you’re a seasoned outdoor enthusiast or just starting out on your hiking journey, this website provides invaluable resources to help you explore the best trails in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Hudson Highlands, Berkshires, and beyond. Get access now to all content on this website instantly and enjoy unique supporter benefits.

BTW, you might also enjoy…

UPDATED › Best Bug Spray & Bug Repellent for Hikers

CATSKILLS › Peakbagging The Catskills High Peaks (Ultimate Guide)

STAY › Find Your Perfect Catskills Stay

ADIRONDACKS › Wright, Algonquin & Iroquois Peaks

LEARN › Teach Yourself How to Use a Compass

ENTERTAINMENT › Best & Worst Hiking Movies

Follow › My Instagram @TotalCatskills

Follow › My Substack @TotalCatskills

Follow › My writing for Times Union

Table of Contents

Stissing Mountain Hiking Trail Notes & Gallery

Stissing Mountain Fire Tower

Catskills Views

Find your dream getaway in the Catskills

Similar Hikes

Get full access…

Hot on the website right now…

Follow for more…

Stissing Mountain Classic Hiking Trail

The Stissing Fire Tower loop trail includes…

Roadside parking

A steep work-out climb

Rich mixed forest

A very tall fire tower

Amazing views

Allow 60-75 minutes for this hike.

Stissing Mountain Hiking Trail Notes & Gallery

The short 30-40 minute hike to the fire tower is through forest that’s surprisingly rich in wildlife. You may see frogs, snakes, birds, gall wasp galls, even some coyote and bear sign .

Wood Frog

Stissing Mountain Fire Tower

Most fire towers in the region are about 60 feet tall. Stissing Fire Tower is 50% taller. At a glorious 90 feet, you’ll definitely need a good head for heights. But the incredible 360° view from the cabin is worth the extra climb.

Stissing Fire Tower is a tall boy

Here’s a look inside the fire tower cabin…

Inside the Stissing Fire Tower cabin

The tower is not near the summit , which you can see further to the south…

View of Stissing’s summit

Stissing and Thompson ponds below…

View from Stissing

Thompson Pond

To the north you can see Little Stissing too…

View north from Stissing

Stissing Pond seen in spring with the Taconics in the background…

Stissing Pond and Taconics

Catskills Views

I love these views of The Catskills from Stissing: Ashokan High Point (on the left), Table , Peekamoose , Balsam Cap , Friday , Slide , Cornell , Wittenberg .

Southern, Central and Eastern Catskills

That’s already a lot of mountains. But it goes on…

Here’s Stoppel Point blocking a view of Thomas Cole , Black Dome and Blackhead mountains. Acra Point is to their right (and that’s Cairo Round Top low on the far right).

Burroughs Range in back

Kaaterskill High Peak is also prominent…

Kaaterskill High Peak

Descend the fire tower carefully and head back to your car.

Descend the tower carefully

But the hiking doesn’t have to stop there. If you have time, a very short drive or road-walk south brings you to the entrance of Thompson Pond Preserve for some easy, lovely pond and marsh walking.

Similar Hikes

For a more rugged route to the tower, see Stissing Mountain from Thompson Pond .

See my full list of fire tower hikes .

Read More

Get full access…

Get instant access to the full version of this site and enjoy great supporter benefits: full galleries, full trail notes, early access to the latest content, and more.

Hot on the website right now…

Follow for more…

Follow my @TotalCatskills content on Instagram for regular hiking inspo and safe, inclusive community.

I also stay active on Facebook and Threads .

Stissing Mountain Fire Tower (Classic Trail) Trailhead

Smallish roadside lot.

Google Maps Location: 41.970014, -73.682353

The map below shows the exact topographic location of the trailhead

Cell Service

Patchy down low but you’ll have service once you gain some elevation. My network is Verizon. YMMV.

Your comments are welcome here… Cancel reply

The parent mountain for this hike is Stissing .