Paul M. Thiede Fire Tower Park — Attraction in Pequot Lakes

On June 29, 2023, it was Paul Bunyan's birthday, so my buddy and I decided to take a road trip up North to Pequot Lakes to do something exciting and a little frightening. We climbed the 100 foot tall fire tower! Usually I'm afraid of heights, but I took my Dad's advice: DON'T LOOK DOWN! My buddy and I took our time climbing up, and we both wore gripper gloves. When we finally reached the last set of stairs going up into the shelter, there was only one rail on the right side, so be cautious before you reach the top. What made it a little scary wasn't just the height, it was very windy. The view was breathtaking and worth climbing to the top. The tricky part to figure out was how to safely exit the shelter. The safest way is to SIT DOWN in the shelter so you can safely reach the rail going down. In our opinion, going down the stairs wasn't as bad. If you decide to climb up the fire tower, take your time, wear gripper gloves, and I guarantee that it will be an experience you will...

Short hike to tower (0.3 mi), trail is crushed granite, unisex bathroom on site. Nice view from tower but no Lakes really visible, unfortunately.

Worth stopping at for a quick walk and climb but don't expect spectacular views like the Itasca State Park fire tower. However, this might be more interesting when the leaves begin changing (say October).

Update on October 12 (prior Green pics were from early September). I revised my from 3 stars for summer pics to 5 stars for Autumn views. I would say October 1 would have been peak color in 2020. It is completely different and quite spectacular!

It appears that they will be adding on to the pavilion or at least adding a significant amount of concrete slab and more benches, tables and BBQ grills. The crushed granite was nice on the fire tower trail but had started washing away in a few areas but they have not boxed in some steps in those areas and put in metal hand rails... Very nice...

Tower provides nice views of the surrounding area. The tower was open to climb. It stands high above the tree line, providing good vistas. The stairs are a bit steep, and do not have a riser, only the tread (vertical portion of steps), so not real great for young children. The handrails are a little short, but are very sturdy, making it easier to walk down the steep stairs. Not for the faint of heart. The tower is tall, and may sway a little at times. FYI, only 6 people are allowed on the tower at times. Also, the walk to the tower from the parking lot is a little difficult in spots. The trail weaves back and forth across switchbacks up the hill, all covered in pea sized granite rock.

Have fun out there...