Smith Mountain Fire Tower: A Lake Martin Sentinel

Perched atop Smith Mountain, the Smith Mountain Fire Tower provides visitors with a rewarding blend of history and stunning natural beauty. Constructed in 1939 as a collaborative project between the Alabama Power Company, the Tallapoosa County Forest Conservation Association, and the Alabama Forestry Commission, the tower served as a crucial fire detection point for over four decades.Rising 90 feet above the highest point on Lake Martin's shoreline, the tower offers panoramic views of the lake and surrounding woodlands. The surrounding area had been cleared of timber, leading to significant erosion that threatened the capacity of the hydroelectric plant after Lake Martin was created in 1929. To combat this, millions of trees were planted, necessitating the fire detection network.After being abandoned in the 1980s and falling into disrepair, the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association (CRATA) took ownership in 2010 and fully restored the tower. Today, visitors can climb the 111 steps to the top of the tower and enjoy the vista. Educational exhibits at the base of the tower detail the area's natural history, ecosystems, and cultural landscapes.The area also offers several hiking trails, including the Walker Bynum Smith Mountain Tower Trail, a steep 0.4-mile climb to the tower. Other trails include the Lakeshore Trail, the Island Hop/Boat Dock Trail, and the more challenging Little Smith Mountain Loop Trail.