I have spotted a few fire look out towers around the park. They look like they would be a great view point of the park. Has anyone been to one of them. I wanted to go to the one off McKenzie on a day hike, our group opted out thinking it would get us in trouble with the forest service. Is access restricted, if not has anyone had the privilege to look out from one of them??
jameswest

Friends and I climbed the McKenzie tower in the 80's. Don't know what shape it is in now. View of McKenzie and Cache was phenomenal. The only problem was a hornet nest on a tower leg about halfway up the ladder. All but one of us made it to the top without being stung. Unfortunately he was the last to climb and stirred up the nest. WE were stuck up there an hour until the hornets calmed down. Good thing the view was nice.

I would also like to know more about these fire towers or other historic buildings or sites in the Quetico or BWCA.

This one is on the south end of Kashapiwi. We never did find our way up there though, it looks like a good one to hike up to, I wouldn't mind checking it out next time through.

miketp,

My group may go to McKenzie Lake next year. Do you remember where on that lake the tower was?

Journeyman, there is a trail up to that tower from the campsite marked "ranger cabin" on the fisher maps. Its a bit of a hike to find. It didn't look sturdy enough to climb.

Thanks X-man, is the trail you are talking about, the one that follows the waters edge northwest around the cove and just kind of disappears where it starts up the hill ??

uhh... I remember it being behind the campsite. At first I thought it was a latrine path but it kept going. I remember a fairly marked path. I may be wrong though. You just have to look around for it.

I was at the Kahshahpiwi Tower in 2005. Kahshahpiwi Tower
Vista fron atop the tower
The trail is there but easy to loose as you head up the hill. Tower area has a wooden chopper pad, and a weather station on the tower. Allow at least 2 hours to check it out. About half way up there is a nice vista overlooking the lake below.

There is some information in the book by Shirley Perunak called Quetico Provincial Park "An Illustrated History" pics to on Kahshahpiwi Lake Tower. I'm thinking possibly on the McKenzie also.

There are also more pictures and video of the tower on Kahshahpiwi and surrounding area in the latest release of Wilderness Passages qp

The tower is on the far north end of the lake. the trail started behind the Ranger cabin and went up the hill.

Thanks Mike, It seemed like that trail kind of tappered off into no trail. Had I continued on, it sounds like it must have been easier to follow. It that pretty much how it was?

Mike,

You mean the McKenzie Lake look out tower, correct? If so, there is a ranger cabin there also?

There was an old Ranger cabin there , but that was some time ago. The trail did sort of peter out but by walking in the same direction we were able to find our way to the tower.

Thanks Miketp,

I take it the tower is on the North shore of McKenzie. We'll trip to check it out next year.

Anyone know if there is a map that shows where all the lookout towers are?