Wesser Bald Fire Tower — Attraction in Franklin

Parking is very limited. Maybe 6 to 8 parking places.

A very nice hike, mostly shaded with a few places where you get a scenic view. On July 12th 2024 the trail was overgrown in a lot of places. Waist-high grasses and plants encroaching on the trail.

From the trailhead, the trail splits to the right and to the left. If you go to the right, it's actually a shorter trail by maybe a third of a mile, but the ascent is still the same height so it's a steeper climb. I chose this route to get to the tower. I came back down on the other trail. I would not recommend the trail to the right if you have bad knees.

When you get to the fire tower it is surrounded by trees so there's not much of a view until you actually climb the tower.

When you leave the tower, If you return to the trailhead on the shorter trail Don't make the mistake I made. I left the fire tower, northbound and missed my turn to the left. So I kept hiking northbound on the Appalachian Trail for about a quarter mile. So I had to turn around and head back to the fire tower and that's where I found the longer less steep trail back to...

Full disclaimer: it IS a bit of a trek to get here! Less than a mile and a half (according to my Strava gps), but fairly steep- you'll be going up pretty much the entire way, there are very few flat sections. If you're looking for a bit of a challenge (extra points if you're carrying a weighted pack!), and want to be rewarded with some incredible views- this is the hike for you! The fire tower provides a scenic 360° view of the mountains, as well as a few small lakes and cabins, and is a great place to rehydrate and grab a snack. Plus, you get to hike on the infamous Appalachian Trail (AT)! If you're slightly obsessed with thru hiking like myself, you'll love that aspect! Additional info if you're not from the area- the last mile is a gravel/dirt road with a couple of very tight turns- would not recommend dragging a trailer or large vehicle up to the small trailhead...

I think this was 2.8 miles round trip. We took the path on the left, the easier but longer one because we had a 1.5 and 3.5 year old with us. It was a little scary hoping the 3 year old didn't tumble over some of the steep sides but he did fine. Our little one was carried. Once up to the top we came to the firetower and had 2 flights of stairs to climb up which weren't terrible. The views were wonderful. We had a picnic under the tower and a few minutes after sitting there, when a family with dogs approached, we heard and saw a giant timber rattlesnake just behind us. He was about 6 feet says my husband. I guess he was fine with us there but didn't like the dogs. So be cautious. We chose to go back down the same way we came because some people said they recommended against going the steep way with little kids. We went on a Friday and it...