Introduction
The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most stunning areas of the Eastern United States. From the parkway’s hundreds of overlooks and hiking trails, you can enjoy endless views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.
If you’re looking for a hike with an outstanding view, but don’t want a trail that’s too difficult, then the hike up to the Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower is a fantastic choice.
What is the story behind the Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower?
The Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower is 70 feet tall and was constructed in 1941 as a place for fire lookouts to live and observe the forests for fires.
The tower sits on the summit of Fryingpan Mountain, which is 5,340 feet above sea level.
From atop the mountain, fire lookouts had a 360-degree view of the surrounding forest. It’s no longer used as a lookout tower but is open to the public to hike to.
Hiking Frying Pan
Where is Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower located?
The trailhead to Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower is located along the Blue Ridge Parkway, about 26 miles southwest of Asheville, NC.
It’s also just a couple minutes south of the Pisgah Inn, one of the only accommodations that sit directly off the parkway itself.
The trailhead is about a 45-minute drive from Asheville on the parkway.
How to Get to Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower?
To reach the trailhead, you need to hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trailhead and parking area are not well marked.
This is where the Shaka Guide Blue Ridge Parkway-South tour comes in handy because we tell you when to slow down and look for the parking area.
A gravel driveway on the north side of the parkway is where you can park to hike the trail. You’ll see a gate to keep cars from going up the trail. That’s because the trail is actually the old gravel road that leads straight up to the tower.
So in terms of wayfinding, it’s pretty hard to get lost on this one! You just follow the road up to the tower.
The trail is about 0.75 miles one way and is considered a moderate hike. It’s all a steady but gentle incline up to the lookout tower, which shares the summit with a handful of radio towers.
Don’t worry, they don’t affect the view too much. And then you take the same road back down to your car. Doing the whole trail is a 1.5-mile round trip and takes about an hour at most.
RELATED: 29 Best Blue Ridge Parkway Hikes
Frying Pan Trail Map
Things To See Around Frying Pan Lookout Tower
The first thing to see at the top of the trail is the lookout tower itself, which is a historic structure. The top level, where lookouts once lived and worked, is closed to the public.
But, visitors can still climb up the flights of stairs for the unobstructed views. In fact, this is how you get the best views and make the hike worthwhile.
The view is not nearly as good from the foot of the tower, obstructed by bushes and trees.
Once you’re looking out at the surrounding mountains, there are a couple of things to look out for. First, try to find Looking Glass Rock to the south. Unlike the surrounding mountains, it’s actually a granite pluton and has a smooth, polished look that the other mountains don’t have.
You can also look for Mt. Pisgah to the north. At 5,721 feet tall, Mt. Pisgah is taller than the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains, which makes it stick out. You can identify it by looking for the radio tower at its summit.
There’s another trail that you can take to reach the summit of Mt. Pisgah, but it’s longer and more challenging than the hike to the lookout tower.
And of course, during the fall months, you can gaze out over the forests below and enjoy the radiant yellows, oranges, and reds of the autumn leaves. It’s hard to top the Blue Ridge Parkway’s fall colors during peak season.
RELATED: A Guide to Blue Ridge Parkway Entrances
Explore Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower with Shaka Guide
The Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower is just one of many highlights on Shaka Guide’s Blue Ridge Parkway-South tour, which takes you between Asheville, NC, and Cherokee, NC, starting from either end.
Shaka Guide offers three different Blue Ridge Parkway tours, in addition to our Great Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah, and New River Gorge National Park tours. So there’s plenty to discover in Appalachia with Shaka Guide at your side.
Ready to take the tour? Check out Shaka Guide's Blue Ridge Parkway South Tour!
We hope that we’ve given you all the information you need to make the most of your day. Your vacation is extremely important to us so if you have any questions feel free to reach out at aloha@shakaguide.com.
For more detailed information to help you plan, check out our Blue Ridge Parkway South Itinerary and Know Before You Go article.
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY GUIDES:
Know Before You Go, Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville
Know Before You Go, Blue Ridge Parkway Virginia
Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville Itinerary
Blue Ridge Parkway Virginia Itinerary
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY RELATED
29 Best Blue Ridge Parkway Hikes
The Story of the Blue Ridge Parkway
A Guide to Blue Ridge Parkway Entrances
Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville: The Ultimate Tourist's Guide
Blue Ridge Parkway Virginia: Ultimate Travel Guide
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