Jackie Steffan — 9.6 miles — 4.5 hours — Moderate — 1425′ elevation gain —
When we want a longer, more challenging, hike close to home, Pinnacle Mountain Fire Tower trail is our go-to. The hike leads to amazing views on the back-side of Buffalo Mountain just minutes from downtown Johnson City. We often see a decent number of bikers on the trail, so be mindful since as they often are going quickly downhill and may have trouble yielding to hikers.
Getting There
From I-26
- Take Exit 32, turn away from town of Uncoi, towards Buffalo Mountain
- Follow Unicoi Rd for ~300ft., then turn right onto Powder Hollow Rd.
- In a few hundred feet, find the trailhead parking area on both sides of road
The Hike
Walk past the pavilion and bathrooms to begin up the wide gravel trail. Shortly you’ll take a slight left onto a narrower trail that begins to switchback up the mountain. The uphill grade is fairly consistent throughout the trail. This trail will have green blazes. We’ve seen deer a few times on this trail too.
At 3.3 miles from the trailhead, you will reach a road crossing and parking area. Continue straight through the parking area to find the Pinnacle Mountain Fire Tower Trail continuing into the woods. This area can be a little confusing due to the Buffalo Mountain Trail also passing through, perpendicular to this trail. Continue on the trail for about 1.5 miles to reach the Fire Tower.
You can climb the 40′ fire tower. The tower feels very sturdy, and was re-built in 2011, but the steps are rather steep. The stairs and top are all metal grating, so take note of that if you are nervous about heights. At the top, you will get wonderful panoramic views of the mountains beyond Unicoi and Erwin. There is also a pretty compass on the ceiling of the tower. Enjoy the view and a snack before returning the same route.
Alternatively, you can drive to the parking area that this trail crosses over for a 0.7 mile each way hike along the road, or 1.5 mile each way along the trail.
